Daily Times

KARACHI: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) brought together stakeholders from government institutions and the private sector to investigate challenges and explore opportunities for increasing investment in clean energy. Project developers, financiers, investors, senior federal and provincial government officials, industry advisors, regulators, donors, and other energy professionals were in attendance. The workshop provided a forum for formulating a framework based on international best practices to promote clean energy development across Pakistan.

Addressing the workshop, USAID deputy mission director for Sindh and Balochistan, John Smith-Sreen, reflected on the history of USAID’s efforts to expand energy access, stating, “Over the years, our partnership with the Government of Pakistan and the private sector has resulted in a higher quality of life, and a brighter future, for more than 38 million Pakistanis.” He also contemplated the future of the partnership, stating, “We believe that the private sector can bring new, innovative, efficient, and cost-effective methods for delivering energy to businesses and households across the country. These entrepreneurs need an environment that rewards, even incentivises, taking a chance on clean energy endeavours. What we learn today will help us define the support required for government institutions and the private sector to meet growing consumer demand for energy.”

Agha Wasif Abbas, Sindh Secretary for Energy, chaired the inaugural session of the workshop. They reiterated that the government was committed to promoting reforms in the energy sector and making it more sustainable, efficient, and capable of meeting the growing energy requirements.

USAID’s Sustainable Energy for Pakistan (SEP) project, which aims to promote private sector investment in clean and sustainable energy production, transportation, and delivery in Pakistan, organized the workshop.

Published in Daily Times, April 25^th 2018.