On October 19, 2022, the "Eastern Partnership Connectivity Seminar" was held jointly by the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, one of the three Baltic states. Kenji Shinohara, Lead Researcher of INPEX Solutions, LTD., INPEX's subsidiary, was invited by the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania to participate in this seminar and make a presentation.
The Eastern Partnership, which began in 2009, is one of the key policies of the EU that promotes political and economic integration between the EU and the six former Soviet countries (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia) neighboring the EU to the east through support for political, economic, and social reforms in the six countries.
Connectivity is one of the key policy concepts of the EU. It refers to the expansion of the EU's successes and prosperity to neighboring countries and regions by connecting the EU with neighboring countries and regions through infrastructure such as roads, railways and communications, energy, and markets.
Japan and the EU signed "the Strategic Partnership Agreement" in 2018 and "the Partnership on Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure" in 2019. Based on these two important agreements, Japan and the EU aim to realize EU-Japan connectivity projects that can be jointly implemented in four sectors including transport, digital and energy in the regions including the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries and Central Asia.
In 2020-2021, INPEX Solutions, LTD. was commissioned by the EU to conduct the EU-Japan Joint Study on Connectivity Cooperation and Shinohara, who has extensive knowledge of the former Soviet countries, joined the study team and implemented the Study.
At the "Eastern Partnership Connectivity Seminar" this time, Shinohara discussed the outline and challenge of the Study, helping to reaffirm the importance of the Japan-EU relationship.
A stable supply of energy is essential for the sustainable development of society and the economy as well as for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To make a positive contribution to these causes, INPEX endeavors at all times to expand its energy supply sustainably.
Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
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