BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. In recent years, the OSCE has been actively advancing its work on energy security in Central Asia, with efforts continually expanding to address emerging challenges, Helga Schmid, OSCE Secretary General, told Trend in an exclusive interview.
She emphasized the importance of collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society to not only enhance access to energy but also to protect energy systems from evolving threats, including the growing impacts of climate change.
"Our goal is to ensure that all stakeholders work together to strengthen the resilience of energy systems against new threats," she said. "This is why we recently launched a pioneering project that provides downscaled climate modeling for the energy sector across the region until 2050. This initiative is a crucial step in helping the region adapt to the long-term impacts of climate change".
The SecGen also acknowledged the efforts of countries in transitioning to greener energy in line with their commitments to the Paris Agreement. "We are fully supporting these efforts, aiming to help countries achieve their energy transition goals in a way that’s both sustainable and inclusive," she noted. "It's essential that women and marginalized groups are actively involved in this transition, ensuring that no one is left behind".
On the topic of connectivity, the OSCE remains committed to helping stakeholders in trade and transport unlock the full potential of the region as a key market hub connecting Europe and Asia. The SecGen highlighted one of the OSCE's flagship initiatives, the 'Green Ports' Project, which assists selected ports in the Caspian and Black Seas in achieving EcoPorts certifications, aligning them with top international environmental standards.
"This is an initiative I am personally very proud of," she said. "I was pleased to hand over eco-certificates in person to the ports of Kuryk in Kazakhstan and Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan during my visits to the region. I was equally impressed by the work done at the port of Baku. Moving forward, we plan to further strengthen the resilience of these ports against the projected impacts of climate change".
Looking ahead, the OSCE plans to expand its work on connectivity by promoting cross-border trade and transport facilitation, supporting regional and interregional economic cooperation, and establishing an interregional digital trade platform.
"We believe that enhancing collaboration to build a secure energy provision system and a trans-border trade network can significantly boost confidence and promote security in the region," the SecGen stated. "We are actively working to ensure that our initiatives deliver tangible results on the ground, benefiting millions across the region".