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October FY2024
Minister Muto Visits the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Minister Muto Visits the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

October 15, 2024

From October 10 to 12, 2024, Mr. Muto Yoji, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, visited Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, and participated in the Second Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders Meeting. Taking this opportunity, he exchanged views with related ministers on cooperation toward decarbonization.

1. Participating in the Second AZEC Leaders Meeting

On October 11, the Second AZEC Leaders Meeting was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, bringing together all 11 AZEC partner countries. As representatives of Japan, Prime Minister Ishiba and Minister Muto attended.
Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized that it is indispensable to secure the economic growth of Asia, as the world’s driver of growth, as well as to take actions to address climate change, which is an urgent challenge common to all humankind. To this end, the Prime Minister reaffirmed and highlighted the importance of the AZEC principles, which consist of pursuing net-zero emissions through various pathways, taking into account each country’s national circumstances, including industrial structure and energy mix, with a view to simultaneously achieving decarbonization, economic growth, and energy security. Moreover, he was pleased to acknowledge the development of approximately 120 cooperation projects such as Memorandum of Understanding signed since the First AZEC Leaders Meeting in December 2023. He also stated his intention to hold deliberations on cooperation projects in Lao PDR through an offer-based approach as an effort to help the country become a future regional clean energy hub with a view to contributing to decarbonization in the region.
As the outcomes of the Second AZEC Ministerial Meeting held in August 2024, Minister Muto reported on the agreement on AZEC Sectoral Initiatives in the power, transport, and industry sectors and the compilation of actions to be cooperatively taken toward decarbonization. He also provided a briefing on the launch of the Asia Zero Emission Center as a body that will serve as the intellectual engine of AZEC, e.g., for the formulation decarbonization roadmaps and the provision of policy recommendations.
The leaders of AZEC partner countries expressed strong support for Japan's leadership in the AZEC initiative and for the AZEC principles, in which the partner countries aim to achieve net-zero emissions through various pathways tailored to the circumstances of respective countries, while simultaneously achieving decarbonization, economic growth, and energy security. They also showed high expectations for AZEC's future efforts, including expanding investment in the transition to clean energy and promoting transition finance.
As an outcome of the meeting, the leaders adopted the AZEC Leaders’ Joint Statement, including the Action Plan for the Next Decade.

2. Meeting with H.E. Mr. Keo Rottanak, Minister of Mines and Energy, Cambodia

The two sides confirmed Japan-Cambodia cooperation related to the greening of factories and biomass and agreed to continue to advance collaboration going forward. They also confirmed that the two countries will strive to further promote decarbonization in the Asian region and bilateral energy cooperation, placing AZEC at the core.