US-Pakistan Energy Working Group Reaches Agreement on Clean Energy Strategy and Collaboration

 

Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein welcomed Pakistan’s Minister of Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on March 30 for the US-Pakistan Energy Working Group under the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. The officials discussed bilateral energy cooperation, including a strategy to implement the US-Pakistan Clean Energy Partnership and other initiatives.

As an outcome of Prime Minister Sharif’s meeting with President Obama in October 2015, the United States and Pakistan reached agreement on a strategic document to guide clean energy collaboration through 2020. A core objective of the US-Pakistan Clean Energy Partnership is to facilitate private sector investment that will help add at least 3,000 megawatts of clean power to Pakistan’s electricity supply. The United States and Pakistan will cooperate to: increase private sector investment in clean energy (including hydroelectric, natural gas, wind, solar, and other renewables); expand and increase the resiliency of power transmission infrastructure; advance capacity and reforms through technical assistance; and grow advanced technology and innovations in Pakistan’s energy sector.

Senior officials from the US Department of State, the US Agency for International Development, US Department of Energy, US Department of Commerce, US Export-Import Bank, and US Trade and Development Agency joined the Energy Working Group meeting and discussed ongoing and planned energy initiatives with their Pakistani counterparts.

For further information, please contact Alexandra Z. Tenny at   TennyAZ@state.gov   and   (202)736-7970 , or visit www.state.gov/e/enr , or find us on Twitter @EnergyAtState.