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OAS TO HOLD SUSTAINABLE ENERGY MEETING IN RIO DE JANEIRO

  September 4, 2007

The Department of Sustainable Development of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (DSD/OAS) announces the Regional Preparatory Meeting of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). The meeting will be held on September 13, 2007 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm at the Sheraton Rio Hotel and Resort in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The objective of the meeting is to analyze the impact of current and past REEEP projects implemented in Latin America and the Caribbean region in order to review and update the program’s regional priorities in financing, policy and regulation. In support of its Sustainable Energy Policy Initiative, the OAS Department of Sustainable Development will take advantage of this opportunity to conduct a consultation on approaches to the implementation of strategies to promote renewable energy. Energy sector leaders from Brazil, other Latin American nations and the Caribbean region will be invited to attend this event.

REEEP is a global public-private partnership that structures policy and regulatory initiatives for clean energy, and facilitates financing for energy projects. To date, REEEP has funded more than 50 projects in 44 countries. These projects address market barriers to clean energy in the developing world and economies in transition. The partnership is backed by more than 200 national governments, businesses, development banks and NGOs. Its network includes eight regional secretariats and more than 3,500 members. “REEEP has been working hard to encourage regulatory and legislative change internationally to enable renewable energy resources to be incorporated into the energy mix,” said Dr. Marianne Osterkorn, Director of REEEP.

The OAS Department of Sustainable Development functions as REEEP Regional Secretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean Region. For more than a decade the OAS has provided technical assistance and promoted hemispheric cooperation for renewable energy and energy efficiency. “The challenge of our countries will be to promote sustainable energy policies as our people climb out of poverty,” declared the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, at the OAS General Assembly convened in Panama in June of 2007.

For more information about the REEEP Regional Preparatory Meeting you may contact Mr. Juan Cruz Monticelli by phone or e-mail at +1(202) 458-3745, [email protected].

Reference: E-203/07