QAZAQ GREEN.  The International Energy Agency (IEA) held its 295th Governing Board meeting in Singapore on 28–29 October 2025 — the first time the Agency’s top decision-making body has convened in Asia. The event, organised in partnership with Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Energy Market Authority (EMA), took place alongside the 18th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW).

The meeting underscored growing international collaboration on energy security, regional interconnectivity, and clean energy transition. Delegates from the IEA’s 32 member countries and ASEAN states discussed strengthening the ASEAN Power Grid, enhancing critical mineral supply chains, and the role of Artificial Intelligence in improving grid resilience and energy efficiency.

At the Singapore–IEA Forum, participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to a secure, sustainable, and integrated energy future for Southeast Asia. The discussions will also help shape priorities ahead of the IEA Ministerial Meeting in Paris in February 2026.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted that Southeast Asia’s energy demand has surged by 80% in the past two decades and is projected to account for a quarter of global growth by 2050. He stressed that stronger coordination and partnerships will be essential to ensure energy security, affordability, and emissions reduction.

IEA Governing Board Chair Anders Hoffmann highlighted that energy security requires joint responsibility and thanked Singapore and Australia for facilitating the first regional session. He noted that the meeting marks one year since the launch of the IEA Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore, reinforcing collaboration with Southeast Asian and Pacific countries.

Singapore’s Minister for Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng said the meeting reflects the deep and trusted partnership between the IEA and Southeast Asia in advancing energy security, sustainability, and innovation. EMA Chief Executive Puah Kok Keong added that the discussions coincide with ASEAN’s efforts to realise the ASEAN Power Grid and implement new renewable energy and efficiency targets under the 2026–2030 Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation.

The event reaffirmed the IEA’s and Singapore’s shared commitment to advancing regional energy cooperation, technological innovation, and a resilient low-carbon energy future.