Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE (left) and Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP (right) during the MoU signing.
The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) have officially forged a strategic partnership to advance ASEAN’s energy cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on 1 September 2025. The signing ceremony took place in conjunction with Asia-Pacific Energy Week, hosted by ESCAP, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation through accelerated just energy transitions.
The MoU was signed by Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE, and Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of UN and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, representing their respective organisations.
As part of the agreement, this MoU will support the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, and 13 on Climate Action.
ACE and ESCAP will focus on joint initiatives in research and analysis, policy dialogues, capacity buildings, and knowledge sharing across key areas in ASEAN’s energy sector, such as just energy transition, energy security and resilience, investment in green energy transition, sustainable transport, raw materials for sustainable development, and energy connectivity through the ASEAN Power Grid (APG).
With ASEAN set to endorse APAEC 2026-2030 and sign the APG Enhanced MoU at the 43rd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) in October 2025, this collaboration marks a critical milestone in further strengthening regional efforts to achieve affordable, reliable, and sustainable access for all ASEAN Member States.
“The signing of this MoU illustrates ACE and ESCAP’s mutual commitment to supporting the ASEAN energy cooperation,” said Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE. “We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring. With ESCAP’s expertise and regional reach, and ACE’s role in coordinating ASEAN energy cooperation, we believe this partnership will generate impactful initiatives that benefit our communities. ACE extends its gratitude to ESCAP for this important collaboration.”
“This partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) represents a significant step towards realizing our shared vision of a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy future for the Asia-Pacific region,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP. “By working together, we will support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and empower ASEAN Member States in their transition to secure, affordable, and clean energy solutions.”
This partnership illustrates ACE and ESCAP’s joint commitment to advancing regional energy cooperation and supporting ASEAN Member States’ capacity in the transition towards sustainable energy solutions. Through joint initiatives, ACE and ESCAP will assist ASEAN Member States’ efforts in achieving a secure, affordable, and equitable energy transition.
