Integration mechanisms ratify integration as a fundamental axis for meeting the region's energy needs

The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) and the Central American Integration System (SICA) held the second and last day of the meeting “Proposals for joint regional action: food security and energy,” which on 21 April functioned as a space for dialogue, best practices, and exchange of experiences on the issue of sustainable energy.  

In his keynote speech, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE), Andrés Rebolledo, highlighted the importance of promoting energy integration from a regional perspective by governments, harmonising the regulation of investment returns and promoting technological development, electromobility, among others. “Today we must think of more innovative ways of contributing to integration. We are starting to develop the possibility of exchanging electricity or natural gas not between bordering countries, but through a third party. This is also integration,” said Rebolledo in explaining the challenges of energy integration in Latin America and the Caribbean.  

For his part, the Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Clarems Endara, reiterated that it is essential to seek convergence in order to promote the regional energy transition, as well as to address the needs of the sector.  

The meeting “Proposals for joint regional action: food security and energy” was organized by SELA and SICA, together with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI); the Andean Community (CAN); the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America - Peoples' Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) and the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), with the purpose of identifying points of common interest among Latin American and Caribbean integration schemes for cooperation and exchange of best practices in the energy sector. 

The meeting is part of the alliance agreed upon by these mechanisms on 24 January, during the VII Summit of CELAC, and is a result of the Forum “Responding to the challenges of integration for the development of Latin America and the Caribbean. Proposals from regional and subregional integration mechanisms,” organized by SELA and CELAC last December in Buenos Aires, Argentina.