KUALA LUMPUR: Energy leaders from across the region are set to convene at the 43rd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and its Associated Meetings from Oct 14-17 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
AMEM is the region’s highest policy-making body in energy sector cooperation, where leaders and experts will gather to advance regional cooperation and chart the next steps in Asean’s energy transition.
It functions as a critical forum for translating the region’s shared vision for energy security and sustainability into concrete, cross-border actions.
Hosted by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra), the meeting aims to strengthen regional cooperation and set strategies for a sustainable and inclusive energy future.
The four-day meeting is expected to assemble over 38 heads of delegates, made up of Energy Ministers and senior officials across Asean nations and over 1,000 participants, including secretariat personnel and media professionals.
This year’s meeting is particularly timely as it occurs while the region faces global energy challenges, alongside the urgent need to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources.
The volatility of global fuel markets and the imperative of climate action have placed the energy agenda firmly at the core of the region’s economic and security concerns.
The meeting serves as a key platform for Asean’s energy leaders to discuss a common direction in strengthening energy security, expanding renewable energy and accelerating energy market integration and trading through the Asean Power Grid (APG).
The APG is envisioned as a seamless regional network of power interconnections that will allow member states to efficiently trade electricity, pool resources and leverage their vast, untapped renewable energy potential for collective good.
Looking forward: The 43rd AMEM aims to strengthen regional cooperation and set strategies for a safe, sustainable and inclusive energy future.
These discussions will aim to ensure that the people of the region enjoy stable, affordable and sustainable energy, while opening up new economic opportunities and supporting the region’s net-zero aspirations.
This year, the AMEM will endorse the next cycle of the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026-2030 and the Long-Term Renewable Energy Roadmap.
These documents could serve as key guides for the regional energy transition for the coming decade.
Malaysia’s leadership as Asean chair this year plays a crucial role in securing the agreement of all member states to make both documents a main reference point in accelerating the APG agenda.
This commitment aligns with Malaysia’s overarching theme for the 2025 Asean Chairmanship, which is centred on “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, ensuring the energy transition benefits all communities across the region.
It could also place the region on a stronger trajectory to enhance cross-border energy integration, expand clean energy and optimise renewable energy sources for the benefit of all Asean member states.
Among the participants at the 43rd AMEM are the Asean member states, Timor Leste (observer), and dialogue partners including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.
Various international organisations will also attend the meeting, such as the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (Eria), World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Additionally, the meeting will witness endorsement of the Enhanced APG memorandum of understanding and the Asean Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), as well as the official announcement of the Asean Power Grid Financing (APGF) initiative.
It will also feature the Asean Energy Business Forum (AEBF) 2025, Asean Energy Awards 2025 and other regional meetings such as the 22nd AMEM Plus Three (AMEM+3) and 19th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting (EAS EMM).
AMEM represents a step toward achieving Asean’s long-term goals of energy security, sustainable development and economic resilience, as it reinforces the importance of inclusive dialogue and multilateral collaboration in shaping a greener and more interconnected energy landscape for the region.
