Today, the European Union has announced its increased support for sustainable energy connectivity in Southeast Asia. In a partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and international actors, the EU will scale up its engagement in the ASEAN Power Grid development in a Team Europe approach, bringing together the EU, its Member States, development finance institutions and private sector to maximise impact. To mark this commitment, the EU, European partners and the Asian Development Bank signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to advance the ASEAN Power Grid.
The ASEAN Power Grid aims to improve access to reliable and affordable electricity for more than 670 million people in the region and strengthen regional integration through sustainable cross-border energy infrastructure. The announcement was made during the Global Gateway Forum that takes place on 9-10 October in Brussels.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: “Reliable access to clean energy means better education, lower costs, stronger local businesses, and greater energy security. The ASEAN Power Grid will make all this possible - fully in line with our Global Gateway Strategy - and that is why we are stepping up our support for this project. It is also a major step forward in our shared ambition to promote sustainable energy solutions across Southeast Asia.”
The EU has long been a leader in renewable energy. This places very high demands on our electricity networks. We are ready to share our experience and to invest in regional electricity market integration and grid operation with our ASEAN partners.
This cooperation on the ASEAN Power Grid, the EU and ASEAN will further strengthen our strategic partnership, a relationship that will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027.
The EU already cooperates closely with ASEAN on energy, from clean power to energy connectivity, through dialogue, bilateral initiatives and regional projects. This includes preparing investments in infrastructure and creating the right conditions for a fair and sustainable energy transition, such as through Just Energy Transition Partnerships.
A dedicated session at the Global Gateway Forum provided a platform for partners to discuss the opportunities and challenges for the ASEAN Power Grid development and explore concrete next steps. The discussions focused on the EU’s experience with electricity market integration, the scale of investment needs and ASEAN’s plan to upgrade the ASEAN Power Grid Memorandum of Understanding into a Framework Agreement in 2025.
The partners also explored options for financing feasibility studies, harmonising regulations, and investment in renewable energy generation, transmission and interconnection. On this occasion, the EU and European development banks, including the European Investment Bank, the French development agency AFD, KfW, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO and European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI), signed a Joint Declaration of Intent with the Asian Development Bank to scale up support for the ASEAN Power Grid. This signature was witnessed by the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Centre of Energy and representatives of ASEAN Member States present at the Global Gateway Forum.
Background information
Global Gateway Forum
The Global Gateway Forum brings together an assembly of leaders from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to promote global investment in infrastructure - hard and soft - to deliver on the SDGs and sustainable growth and resilience worldwide.
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
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