2nd Experts Group Meeting on Establishment of the ECO Regional Electricity Market

The 2^nd Experts Group Meeting on establishment of the ECO Regional Electricity Market (ECO-REM) was held in Dushanbe on 27-28 November 2024. Hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, the meeting marked the revival of ECO-REM as a promising energy project after eleven years gap.

The meeting brought together experts in the field of power system connectivity from Azerbaijan, I.R. Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, I.R. Pakistan, Tajikistan and Türkiye, as well as the ECO Secretariat and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

In her opening remarks, Ms. Sharifa Khudobakhsh, Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan expressed her confidence that the meeting would contribute to the successful transformation and development of our regional electricity market. Mr. Matthew Wittenstein, Chief of Energy Connectivity Section of UNESCAP called on the ECO countries to actively contribute to the promotion of the ECO-REM project.

Mr. Mamatmusa Ukubaev, Program Officer of ECO Secretariat, while briefing about the background, current status and importance of the ECO-REM project, underscored the pivotal role of the Member States and international development partners in mobilizing financial and technical support to this crucial project.

During the meeting, Mr. Matthew Wittenstein and Ms. Anna Lobanova, Sustainable Energy Specialist of UNESCAP, delivered presentations on “Regional Roadmap on Power System Connectivity: ECO Regional Electricity Market” and “Power Market Roadmap for Central and West Asia.”  

The meeting concluded to further set up a Task Force for speeding up the advancement of ECO-REM project. 

         The participants visited the Nurek hydroelectric power station, the second tallest man-made dam in the world.