26 June 2015: The Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) underscored the importance of energy in the post-2015 development agenda and endorsed the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) following its first ministerial meeting on energy. In the launch statement, ministers decided to encourage sustainable and inclusive development of the energy sector in the CPLP countries in order to enhance energy security and guarantee a minimum level of access to sustainable energy services in the entire community.

The CPLP’s first meeting of energy ministers took place on 23 June 2015, in Estoril, Portugal, followed by the first conference on Energy for Development of the CPLP, organized from 24-25 June at the same location. The ministerial meeting marked the first time that energy ministers from the nine-member community met to discuss key energy issues affecting the CPLP countries.

The conference gathered more than 500 participants from Portuguese-speaking countries’ governments, civil society, private sector and academia, as well as international organizations. Panel sessions covered topics, including: energy policies for the 21st century; hydrocarbons; renewable energy in CPLP countries; energy sustainability on the development agenda; energy investment perspectives in CPLP countries; and energy efficiency.

The second day of the conference marked the launch of the Decade of SE4All in the CPLP countries, organized in partnership by CPLP and the Lusophone Renewable Energy Association (ALER). The launch statement, inter alia: describes the proposed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7 on energy as an important part of the post-2015 development agenda, and SE4All, including its Global Tracking Framework, as a useful framework for its implementation and follow-up; and recognizes the heterogeneity among the CPLP member States as an asset to be explored for enhancing energy sector cooperation.

The statement notes that CPLP ministers decided to incentivize the development of the energy sector in the member States, in a sustainable and inclusive manner, through: the promotion of partnerships and investments within the energy sector; establishment of priority energy policy areas for the development of a common CPLP strategy; investment in innovation in, and promotion of, energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions; and enhanced participation by CPLP countries in international energy organizations.

The statement further highlights that the outlined goals are in line with those of the SE4All and can be implemented through a greater involvement of the CPLP countries in the global initiative. [SE4All Press Release] [SE4All in CPLP Launch Statement in English] [SE4All in CPLP Launch Statement in Portuguese] [First Conference on Energy for Development of the CPLP Website]