Diplomats from 16 countries get together in Sofia to discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine on the energy and climate policy at the 11th edition of a seminar on energy and climate diplomacy organized by the Diplomatic Institute with the Foreign Ministry, head of the Institute Tanya Mihailova told BTA. The seminar takes place in June 20 through to 25 at the Astoria Grand Hotel in Sofia and is organized in a project under the Bulgarian aid for development and cooperation.
Thirty-three participants will attend the seminar, mainly from the countries in the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region.
The purpose of the event is to provide a platform form discussion between diplomats, business experts and researchers, Mihailova said, noting that this is the only such format in Bulgaria and the region where Bulgarian and foreign diplomats can improve their expertise on energy and climate issues.
The seminar has several panels devoted to different topics, among them the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy and climate policy making, the European Green Deal and its impact in energy, climate diplomacy.
The idea for an energy and climate diplomatic seminar dates back to eleven years ago one a meeting was held in Bulgaria attended by representatives of various government units and ministries. “The discussion proved so useful with so much positive feedback that next year we had to repeat and extend the seminar, and make it a regional event, Mihailova said.
The panel on the impact of the war in Ukraine will be attended by experts from the European External Action Service, NATO energy experts and speakers from Bulgaria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and the Netherlands.
