US, Kazakh governments launch $39 million regional energy program

AKIPRESS.COM - The United States Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, launched a new five-year, $39 million regional energy program "USAID Power Central Asia". The program will assist the five Central Asian countries-Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-to meet their national energy priorities, reap economic benefits from cross-border energy trading, and improve energy security through greater regional connectivity. The Vice-Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kairat Rakhimov; and USAID Acting Regional Mission Director for Central Asia, Peter Young, participated in the virtual ceremony.
During the event, Peter Young stated, "The United States is celebrating 30-years of diplomatic relations with the countries of Central Asia this year. We look forward to building on our strong partnerships to bring economic benefits to people in the region through improvement of the energy sector."
Central Asia has abundant renewable energy resources, considerable opportunities for energy efficiency, and a strong desire and foundation for increased regional energy cooperation. Through this activity, USAID is providing technical services to the region's national governments, utilities, and other stakeholders, including international institutions and development organizations, system operators, local and international investors, and energy companies. USAID is supporting national and regional energy market reforms, strengthening the regional electricity market, and promoting greater adoption of clean energy technologies from conventional and renewable sources.
Over the past decade, USAID has played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for an economically viable market-based regional power system in Central Asian countries. USAID has also strengthened regulatory frameworks to enable renewable energy development, energy efficiency improvements, digitalization of the power sector, and cybersecurity enhancements. USAID's Power Central Asia activity will work with a range of local and regional partners to build local capacity, facilitate cooperation, and support market-based solutions from the private sector.