Third CAREC Energy Investment Forum

(Click to enlarge photo)

About 200 government officials, energy professionals, development partners, private investors, and technology providers joined the forum.

Ajara Autonomous Republic chairperson Tornike Rijvadze opened the forum, while Georgia Finance Minister and ADB Governor Ivane Matchavariani welcomed participants.

The forum aimed to present and discuss a range of new energy technologies that could be quickly adopted in Central Asia. Its objectives were to:

• Introduce CAREC countries to new energy technologies and relevant policy reforms.
• Introduce potential investors to investment opportunities in CAREC countries.
• Promote discussion among government officials and experts, share policy insights and country experiences related to clean-energy technologies, and increase awareness about global energy trends and recent energy innovations.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Central and West Asia Department (CWRD) Director General Werner Liepach, in his keynote remarks during the forum, highlighted ADB’s priorities to catalyze investments through larger private participation in high technologies that can advance regional agenda on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Liepach also noted ADB’s priority on regional cooperation and integration in Strategy 2030. ADB Central and West Department Energy Division (CWEN) Director Ashok Bhargava gave a presentation on energy investment outlook for CAREC.