As stated in the Joint Ministerial Statement of the 16th Ministers Meeting, the 1st Government-Private CEFIA Forum was held in the Philippines on 27 November 2019.

The Forum was hosted by the Department of Energy of the Government of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of the Government of Japan, and with the support of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) as a Secretariat. It took place back-to-back with the 14th ASEAN+3 NRE and EE&C Forum.

The 1st CEFIA Forum was attended by 175 participants from various entities ranging from the governments, private companies, relevant organizations, to international organizations of ASEAN countries.

Joint Opening Ceremony of the NRE&EEC Forum and CEFIA
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 9:00-10:00
Location: Makati Diamond Residence Manila

First CEFIA Public-Private Forum
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 10:30-17:45
Location: Makati Diamond Residence Manila

Joint Opening Plenary of NRE and EE & C Forum CEFIA Forum

Opening remarks

Mr. Alfonso G. Cusi, Secretary, Department of Energy of the Philippines

Mr. Shuji Miyamoto, Parliamentary Vice - Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan

Messages from ACE and Dialogue Partners

Mr. Christopher G. Zamora, Manager of APAEC, ASEAN Centre for Energy

Mr. Doo Youl, Kim, Senior Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea

Keynote speech

Mr. Yongping Zhai, Chief of Energy Sector Group, Asian Development Bank

Group Photo and Coffee Break

Session I: CEFIA and Future Potential

- Moderator: Mr. Tetsuya Nomoto, Researcher, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc

The session addressed the main objectives and activities of CEFIA. The speakers highlighted potential areas of cooperation under CEFIA to accelerate development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies in ASEAN region.

Session II: Introduction of Flagship Projects Ideas

- Moderator: Mr. Christopher G. Zamora, Manager of APAEC, ASEAN Centre for Energy

The session introduced cleaner energy technologies and solutions with potential to become “CEFIA Flagship Projects”.

Session III: Panel Discussion on Branding, Driving and Financing

- Moderator: Mr. Akira Izumo, Deputy Director, Global Environment Partnership Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan

The session addressed the major elements to promote energy transitions, low-carbonization and economic growth. The panelists highlighted the role of private sectors in introducing and expanding cleaner energy. They discussed the importance of policy support (systems, regulations, subsidies, financial support, etc.) for promoting business development, and expressed the significance and importance of analysis and policy recommendations by specialized and neutral organizations such as international organizations. They answered the following question as one of the outcomes of the forum, “how to improve the market environment and promote business activities for promoting energy transition in ASEAN region and the global world in practical means”.

Session IV: Wrap-up and Closing

[Agenda of the 1st CEFIA Forum (PDF:117KB)]

Opening

The high-level joint session by “The ASEAN+3 New and Renewable Energy (NRE) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Forum” and “First CEFIA Government-Private Forum” was held in Manila, Philippines, on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Opening Remarks were given by the host country, Department of Energy, Philippines, and the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan. Greetings of welcoming CEFIA were made by ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), which serves as the secretariat of CEFIA, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), Korea, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In this high-level session, as the opening of the first CEFIA Government-Private Forum, the importance of cooperation between public and private sectors of each country for policy coordination and international cooperation was announced, with a stated aim of achieving energy transition and a low-carbon society in the ASEAN region through business initiatives.

Session I

In Session I, the Global Environment Coordination Office presented key concepts of CEFIA and future cooperation. In order to realize a business-led energy transition and a low-carbon society, it was announced that the three elements of low-carbon technology, institutions, and finance are important, and the importance of promoting the development of business environment by integrating these elements was emphasized.

In addition, IEA shared their ideas about global and Asian energy trends, the growth rate of renewable energy and energy conservation, and cooperation with CEFIA. ACE presented the energy trends in ASEAN and hopes towards CEFIA. Private sectors from Korea, China, the Philippines, and Indonesia shared each country’s market trends concerning energy, and shown expectations for the future activities of CEFIA.

During the Q&A session, each speaker answered questions from the floor and a lively discussion took place.

Session II

The local branch offices of two Japanese companies (Challenergy, Global Mobility Service) presented ongoing feasibility studies and projects in the Philippines, which attracted considerable interest from local financial institutions.

The Deputy Director-General for Industrial Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy, Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, Japan presented TCFD as a method for bringing in more ESG investment and green finance.

Session III

In Session III, a panel discussion was conducted with the participation from ADB, ADFIAP, and ACE to discuss how we can enhance the value that corporates would favor and how we can attract more finance to accelerate CEFIA. From the viewpoint of technology, institutions, and finance, which are the three key elements of CEFIA, the participants discussed the key points for accelerating dissemination of low-carbon technologies in ASEAN countries, and ways to make use of the CEFIA platform to mobilize finance.

Session IV

In Session IV, ACE summarized the outcomes and discussions of the high-level session and the first CEFIA Government-Private Forum. It was announced that ACE, the secretariat of CEFIA, will organize a second CEFIA forum in the near future.

The Senior Undersecretary and SOE Leader of the Department of Energy, Philippines, and the Deputy Director-General for Industrial Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, made closing remarks and repeatedly expressed the importance of public-private partnership, their expectations for the future development of CEFIA, and further collaboration and cooperation toward the second CEFIA forum.