States agree

on energy

PACIFIC states have agreed to establish a multi-state energy au thority along the lines of the Forum Fisheries Agency. This followed a meeting in Honolulu at the East-West Centre which brought together energy ministers and officials from the Cook Is lands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Western Samoa.

Several companies also participated in the meeting, including British Pet roleum, Hawaiian Electric, Mobil Oil, Pacific Resources Inc and Shell Oil.

The proposal for a regional energy agency was raised by a joint mission from the Pacific Forum Secretariat and the United Nations Development Prog ram (UNDP). Mission leader Fereidun Fesharaki from the East-West Centre said the argument against a pro liferation of new agencies was under stood. “In the case of energy we do not suggest new programmes but rather the consolidation of existing activities into a more permanent and effective form,”

Fesharaki said.

It has been recommended the new body be called the Pacific Forum Energy Agency under the Forum umbrella but without the day-to-day Forum Secretariat control of activities or budget.

Fesharaki told Pacific Islands Monthly it was inevitable the new agency would be located in Fiji “although not everyone was happy about that”. The prime task would be for the new agency to plan funding of energy programmes, and to negotiate new grants after current UNDP aid expires in 1991. But, long term, it was important that officials in volved in energy policies were well trained and knowledgeable when it came to negotiating contracts. Fesharaki said Fiji was able to negotiate petroleum sup plies at a price cheaper than available in either Los Angeles or Hawaii.

“They have learned the knack of it,”

he said. “There is a need in all the coun tries to get good information. The oil

companies are happier when they feel

that, in negotiations, the other side knows what it is doing.”

The agency would also concentrate on looking for the most efficient ways of using oil and electricity. Demand for electricity would increase with growing urbanisation in the Pacific island states, Fesharaki said. It is proposed that an annual regional energy meeting should review progress of the new agency, as well as decide policy, approve work plans and look at programmes for training.

The mission which reported to the re cent conference in Hawaii identified priorities as exploration of new and re newable energy technologies, energy management techniques, advice on en vironmental issues and working more closely with the World Bank, Asian De velopment Bank and other potential donors.

This was the second meeting of energy ministers, the 1988 conference having been the first time the leaders and their officials had met to discuss regional and international energy issues. This year, as well as companies mentioned above, the ministers were joined by observers from the Asian Development Bank, United States Department of Energy, Australian Department of Primary Industries and Energy and several Hawaiian and Pacific

regional organisations.

In his opening speech, Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor, Benjamin Cayeta no, said the state was ready to share its expertise in alternative energy with other Pacific Islanders. He told delegates Hawaii was proud of its achievements in ocean thermal, solar and wind genera tion.

Meanwhile, a former director of ener gy for the Fiji Government has called on Australia to provide more assistance for the Pacific states to develop technology so they could harness local energy re sources. Suliana Siwatibau told an aid conference in Sydney it was essential that the island states reduce their depend ence on expensive imported fuel. □