@article{Director General Shah Ahmed Shafi, ndc_2017, place={Dhaka, Bangladesh}, title={THE SCOPE OF SUB-REGIONAL ENERGY COOPERATION IN SOUTH ASIA IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF EMERGING GLOBAL ENERGY SECURITY ARCHITECTURE}, volume={16}, url={https://ndcjournal.ndc.gov.bd/ndcj/index.php/ndcj/article/view/216}, abstractNote={<p>Energy security is defined as the ability of a nation to secure sustainable energy<br>supplies to meet its energy needs at reasonable prices has thus become a major<br>energy policy imperative. Energy security is the association between national<br>security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access<br>to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies.<br>The uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant<br>vulnerabilities. Therefore, a growing number of countries around the world,<br>particularly in the west are coming under regional and international energy charter and energy security umbrella to ensure smooth energy supply as well as to govern<br>the global energy regime to secure their long-term energy need. And among the<br>South Asian countries there is a wide variation in energy resource endowments<br>and energy demand to fuel their rapid economic growth. While India, Pakistan<br>and Bangladesh account for the major natural gas and coal resources, Nepal and<br>Bhutan have large hydropower resources. Further, all the countries have vast<br>renewable energy potentials. Taping and trading of these huge resources would<br>ensure more optimal energy security solutions for the entire South Asia region<br>in the backdrop of the global energy governance. The countries need enhanced<br>and efficient regional energy transfer to leverage economies of scale through<br>a more vibrant intra and inter regional energy production and trade structure.<br>Key issues faced in energy sector cooperation in South Asia are centered on the<br>need to develop: (i) a regional power and energy infrastructure; (ii) an efficient<br>production capacity and management; (iii) a regional power market; (iv) energy<br>supply availability; and (v) harmonized legal and regulatory frameworks. Energy<br>cooperation is a main focus of the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation<br>(SASEC) program. The establishment of ongoing and proposed new power<br>transfer links between Bangladesh and India, India and Sri Lanka and between<br>India and Pakistan would further strengthen the regional energy cooperation<br>and power trade. The overall context for regional energy cooperation in South<br>Asia has undergone a change in the past few years. A window of opportunity<br>has now opened up due to a shift in the regional political and policy mindset<br>that has caused countries to look outward for advancing their energy security<br>needs. There is broader recognition that energy trade is better for energy security<br>and helps diversify a country’s energy base through mutual dependence. On<br>contemplating this reality all the SAARC and BIMSTEC countries must establish<br>an energy network or multiple networks of energy production and supply chain.<br>As economic powerhouse and technologically advanced country in the proximity<br>China is very critical to provide finance and expertise &amp; technical knowhow.<br>Sitting on the corridor between South and South East Asia, and South and Far<br>East Asia, particularly China, Bangladesh should take a pivotal role in the energy<br>cooperation of the economically fastest growing region of the world. Like China,<br>Japan and South Korea could also provide critical and necessary supports to the<br>energy growth of this region. Bangladesh’s proactive and innovative diplomacy<br>in relations with all the countries of the region and beyond, and above all the<br>geopolitical advantage as located at the cross-road of three distinct region give it a<br>unique opportunity to strive rapid economic growth through connectivity, trade,<br>and energy cooperation.</p>}, number={2}, journal={NDC E-JOURNAL}, author={Director General Shah Ahmed Shafi, ndc}, year={2017}, month={Dec.}, pages={88-113} }