Ambassador Ashot KOCHARIAN - Executive Manager in PERMIS is in charge of the Working Group on Energy
akocharian@bsec-organization.org Tel: +90 (212) 229 63 30-35 (Ext: 144)
Romania is the Country-Coordinator of the Working Group on Energy from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2027.
The main activities are carried out by the BSEC Working Group on Energy, established in 1994, which meets at its regular meetings at least once per year in order to promote regional cooperation in the field of energy.
The Working Group focuses on common approaches and projects. The aim is to develop a competitive regional energy market through supporting investments in energy infrastructure, with the view to increase energy security, interconnectivity and further diversify energy sources and routes. The Working Group also engages in the exchange of experience and best practices.
Seven Meetings of the Ministers in charge of Energy were held that adopted Declarations and Statements serving as guidance for the activities in this domain.
Three projects in the field of energy were carried out and financed by the BSEC Project Development Fund. Another project was financed through a grant from the Black Sea Project Promotion Facility (BSPPF) and implemented by the UNECE.
At present the key priorities for BSEC activity in the field of energy are defined by Goal 4 on “Sustainable Energy and Development of the Black Sea Energy Market”, set by the updated BSEC Economic Agenda “Towards a sustainable future of the wider Black Sea area” adopted in December 2023.
Goal 4 on Sustainable Energy encompasses framework of action that address twelve potential collaborative areas including energy security, sustainability, efficiency, encouraging cooperation in the implementation of the Green Energy Strategy with a view to promoting renewable energy sources and clean technologies, strengthening of the cooperation between BSEC and other international organizations and agencies active in the field of energy.
A major area of action is the development of regional cooperation in Green Energy. The BSEC Green Energy Strategy which was adopted on June 2018 is an important guiding document for this purpose. In the Resolution adopted on that occasion, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs invited the BSEC Member States to take into account this BSEC document that offers strategic options which they may take, as appropriate, in the elaboration and adoption of their Green Energy policies and in strengthening regional cooperation in the field of Green Energy.
Another tool which could give a new impetus to the promotion of Green Energy Investments is the BSEC Green Energy Network (BSEC-GEN). The Network remains open to participation of other interested parties and is operated by the Energy Policy and Development Centre of Athens University (KEPA) under the supervision of the BSEC PERMIS since 2015.
In November 2018 KEPA was selected as the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) hub for Sustainable Development Goal 7 – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
The idea of organization of the BSEC Green Energy Investment Forum on an annual basis has emerged from consultation between BSEC PERMIS and KEPA.
BSEC is open and interested in further developing a productive teamwork with energy-related international organizations and institutions in promoting the sustainable energy and infrastructure development in the BSEC Region.
For further information kindly contact the Executive Manager in charge.