Regional agenda is gaining MOMENTUM in Bangkok
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THAI CAPITAL IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING AN IMPORTANT VENUE FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION
In March 2010, I took part in an international conference on regional security and cooperation in Bangkok. In my presentation I introduced some elements of the joint Russian-Chinese initiative on strengthening regional security in the Asia-Pacific region, which was announced six months later during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official visit to Beijing. The initiative was received with cautious, but serious interest by the regional community. Now, the idea of building a new multilateral architecture based on a non-bloc principle, a legally binding security framework and promotion of confidence-building measures is widely discussed throughout the region.
Many things have changed since then. In 2010, Russia and the US joined the East-Asia Summits, making the meetings a major entity in Asia-Pacific’s “noodle soup” of organisations and forums. The same year, Russia, Australia and New Zealand joined Asia-Europe Summits. Asean began inviting its dialogue partners to defence meetings, turning the Asean Defence Ministers Meetings (ADMM) into the ADMM-Plus. In parallel fashion the 2008-2009 global financial crisis pushed Asia-Pacific countries to step up bilateral and multilateral measures to further liberalise trade and promote investment cooperation as well as to intensify integration efforts in Eurasia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, South Asia and in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
When in late 2000s I was tasked to cover regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific as deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry, I was surprised at what I found. It seemed to me then that the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) could play a bigger role in deliberations on the future of this region and in its interaction with other groupings. I was confident that as the largest UN regional commission, with fantastic expertise, ESCAP deserved much more.
Russia has been part of ESCAP from the very moment of its launch in 1947. In 1995, Russia obtained regional-member status. We’ve always been supportive of a stronger performance and higher international profile for the Commission.
In 2009, the Russian government approved an annual voluntary contribution of US$1.2 million to ESCAP for technical assistance to countries of the region. Since Russia joined the club of ESCAP donors, dozens of technical cooperation projects in the fields of transport, statistics, information and communication technology have been implemented.
Having a reputation as a reliable partner in supply of hydrocarbons and a deep understanding of the importance of energy cooperation, Russia has been emphasising the need for enhancement of regional dialogue on sustainable energy. Supported by other members of ESCAP, our efforts finally worked. The Russia-initiated Asia-Pacific Forum in Vladivostok in May 2013 adopted a ministerial declaration and comprehensive regional Five-Year Plan of Action. These documents laid a solid foundation for shaping a common energy-resource market and strengthening energy security in the region, setting forth clear principles of energy cooperation in Asia-Pacific.
The Vladivostok Energy Forum marked the first ministerial-level conference on energy in the history of ESCAP, but also in the entire history of the whole United Nations system. It brought together major high-level stakeholders and was successful in terms of its results.
It is now necessary to implement these arrangements. Last year, Russia launched a technical-assistance project to establish the mechanism for implementing decisions made at the Asia-Pacific Energy Forum. For these purposes, Russia plans to contribute up to $2 million until 2018.
Thus the Russian Federation has supported the initiative on the establishment of ESCAP Committee on Energy, which was formalised through a resolution on a renewed conference structure at the recently concluded 71st session of the Commission. This reflects recognition by all countries of the ESCAP’s role as an organisation that is capable of developing sustainable energy in our region.
During the session, the Russian delegation organised a side event, “Energy for Sustainable Development – From Plan to Action”. In my opening remarks I emphasised that the establishment of the Committee on Energy opens a new chapter in the ESCAP’s work. As material evidence the participants of the event witnessed the launching of a new ESCAP Energy portal.
Another significant decision of the Commission taken last May builds on the intention of the member states to convene ministerial energy forums on a regular basis.
Russia is exploring ways of expanding partnership with the Commission in the field of energy. We are now working on ways to exploit the potential of the prestigious Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO) as a platform to establish a regional centre on sustainable energy. Such a centre would benefit the Commission’s analytical work and serve as a platform for capacity building in the region, particularly in its developing countries.
Of course, energy is not the only area we should work on in the framework of UN ESCAP. Important resolutions were adopted at its past sessions on transport, information and communications technology, science, social issues, development financing, statistics, and disaster risk reduction. All these topics continue to be the focus of our attention.
As implementation of the regional cooperation agenda gains momentum, Bangkok is becoming an important venue for discussion and action. With the launch of the Asean Economic Community this year, Thailand has a legitimate ambition to become a transportation and agricultural hub of Southeast Asia. Next year, Thailand will host a summit meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue. Last but not least, with a reformed conference structure and a new strategic vision, UN ESCAP headquarters in Bangkok will now become a more dynamic negotiating platform.
KIRILL BARSKY is the Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Thailand.
