Energy Minister says Nepal takes energy sector as means of achieving socio-economic development

Kathmandu / March 22: Energy Minister Janardan Sharma has said Nepal has identified energy sector as a means of achieving socio-economic development and the incumbent government is active for the development of energy.

In his address to a two-day regional meeting on sustainable energy for Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries kicked off here today, the Energy Minister said the Government of Nepal was working on necessary policies and plans with a goal of upgrading the country to a middle-income developing country through the means of sustainable development of energy sector.

The regional meeting is being organized by the Government of Nepal, the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Hydropower production remained as a sector of relatively profitable area and the government had laid its focus on the development of this sector, he said, adding that “Priority is given to people’s participation in the efforts related to development of energy sector. We are working on projects of hydropower development by mobilizing domestic and foreign investment.”

He further added that Nepal’s focus had been laid on the production of sustainable and clean energy.

Though power production development projects were being implemented in foreign and public-private partnership model for the management of energy crisis and sustainable energy development, Nepal’s abundant water resources is yet to be better utilised and joint investment from the international community.

Also speaking on the occasion Gyan Chandra Acharya, Under-Secretary-general and High Representative for the Last Developed countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said, “Sustainable energy can create a win-win situation for LDCs to achieve not only Sustainable Development Goal 7 but also the broader 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the ambitions of the Paris climate change agreement.”

“The Asia pacific’s least developed countries are well placed to rapidly transition to renewable energy sources but this requires a confluence of efforts by all stakeholders including governments, development partners, private sector, international financial institutions and civil society to summon the right blend of best practices, innovative financing instruments and creative solutions that can build momentum towards sustainable energy in these countries. We have to deploy grid, mini grid and off grid solutions.”

National Planning Commission Vice Chair Meen Bahadur Shrestha said the Commission prepared the 14th periodic plan based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adding that the government was working on the sectors of renewable and other alternative energy for the development of reliable energy and economic development.

European Union’s Ambassador for Nepal Rensje Teerink said the EU was providing support as much as possible for the development of Nepal’s energy sector and assisting in women empowerment and entrepreneurship development efforts side by side.

At a press meet organised today itself, UN Deputy Secretary General Acharya said the objective of the meeting was to bring government project and energy office bearers for discussions in the context of the implementation of sustainable energy development programmes in 13 least developed countries and providing financial and technical assistance towards that end. RSS