SICA countries approve five Energy Compacts and put the region at the forefront of integration and sustainability

(June 28, 2024) In response to the mission of the Central American Integration System (SICA), its eight member countries approved five energy pacts that seek to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7: achieve affordable, safe, sustainable and clean energy for the entire population.

The XVII Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Energy held on June 20 in Tegucigalpa, under the Pro Tempore Presidency of SICA of Honduras, was attended by the Ministers of Energy of the SICA countries, as well as officials who have accompanied the process of the Subregional Headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Mexico and SICA.

The Energy Compacts approved by the countries are based on the region’s 2030 Sustainable Energy Strategy and are:

1. Universal access to electricity.
2. Reduction of the use of firewood.
3. Promotion of renewable energies for the generation of electricity.
4. Support and strengthening of non-conventional renewable energies
5. Improvement of energy efficiency through the Central American Technical Regulations (ATRT).

The Energy Compacts arise from the UN's mandate to increase ambition and accelerate action for the achievement of SDG 7 targets, which led to the High-Level Dialogue on Energy and the creation of the Energy Compacts, which represent a historic opportunity for transformative action to promote the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.  These are coordinated by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs as Secretariat of UN-Energy, with technical support from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

With the approval of the five compacts, the SICA countries place the subregion at the forefront, as the only case in the world where a group of nations has negotiated and agreed on an integrated and common agenda. This was achieved after an intense process of negotiation and socialization. For the socialization process, 10 webinars were held by SICA and ECLAC's Subregional Headquarters in Mexico, with the participation of representatives of the academic, public, private, non-governmental organizations, and civil society sectors, among others.

On the implementation of the five compacts by the countries, Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, recognized the strong commitment of the subregion to achieve SDG 7.

"I congratulate SICA and the Pro Tempore Presidency of Honduras for developing five new Energy Compacts, committing to significant progress on universal access to electricity, and scaling up renewable energy, reflecting the region's strong commitment to SDG7. These Energy Compacts are a testament to regional cooperation and action towards a sustainable and resilient future. SEforALL and UN-Energy look forward to continuing to work with the region to promote actions on sustainable energy for all," the senior UN official said in a written message sent to participants.

The XVII Meeting was headed by Hondurans Erick Tejada, Secretary of Energy and Tomás Rodríguez, Undersecretary of Energy, and was attended in person by the Ministers of Energy Deon Kelly, of Belize; Víctor Hugo Ventura Ruiz, of Guatemala; Santiago Bermúdez, of Nicaragua, and Luis García, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Honduras. Pablo Bermúdez Vives, of Costa Rica, Juan Carlos Guevara, of El Salvador, and Rosilena Lindo, of Panama, participated virtually.

The executive director of the General Secretariat of SICA, Ingrid Figueroa, pointed out that the compacts presented represent a concerted international effort to accelerate the achievement of the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development related to energy. ECLAC was represented by the Head of the Energy and Natural Resources Unit, Debora Ley, who said that the approval of the five pacts helps to make SICA visible as the regional institution with the greatest integrationist achievements in LAC and the energy sector as one of the pioneers of sustainable development.