(PDVSA, 10.Sept.2015) – The World Energy Council (WEC) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), with the support of the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MEER) of Ecuador, hosted the South American Energy Council (CES) at the headquarters of UNASUR in the city of Quito
The Fifth Meeting of the South American Energy Council of UNASUR (CES) began in Ecuador. It was chaired by Venezuela’s Oil Minister and PDVSA President Eulogio Del Pino, together with the ministers of energy, oil and related sectors from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay.
They sought to strengthen regional integration through the exchange of knowledge and experiences while meeting the challenges beyond the borders of each country.
“It is an open space to debate the needs and hopes of the Latin American energy market. Energy should be the key driver for integration,” said Del Pino during the opening of CES.
The Venezuelan minister also said that they should introduce “concrete proposals to carry integration forward, to go from rhetoric to specific projects.” The Council is working on a South American Energy Treaty.
Del Pino said that “the region plays a key role. We should not be afraid of a South American energy market. We should find where the deficit is, the surplus, and find how we can complement each other. We need to go back to the South American Energy Treaty.”
The structure of that treaty was approved at the Second Meeting of the Council held in Quito on 25.Mar.2010.
During the opening of the event, they highlighted the value of South America’s natural resources, particularly, the large oil and gas reservoirs, as well as the great hydropower potential, mineral riches and bioenergy.
“This is a historical time of transition from conventional energy to clean energy. We have made proposals to OPEC to balance the energy market and the oil supply,” said Del Pino. “We need to commit ourselves to bring stability not only to consumer countries but to developing countries.”
The meeting reflects the regional integration policy promoted by Commander Chavez. He aided the creation of CES on 17.Dec.2007 with the “Building the Energy Integration of the South” declaration, on Margarita Island, Venezuela.
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