Photo 1. Group session photo of the AR-CBES Consultation Workshop.
Jakarta, 6-7 April 2026 — The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), in collaboration with the Russian Energy Agency, organised the ASEAN-Russia Joint Study on Enhancement of Energy Statistics Consultation Workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. As one of milestones of ASEAN-Russia Joint Project of Capacity Building on Energy Statistics (AR-CBES) project, the workshop convened experts from Russian Energy Agency (REA), Senior International Energy and Statistics Advisor, representatives from the Statistics Division of ASEAN Secretariat, Regional Energy Policy and Planning Sub-sectoral Network (REPP-SSN) and National Statistics Office (NSO) from ten ASEAN Member States (AMS), with 14 AMS representatives attending in person and 20 joining online. Overall, the two-day capacity building programme aimed to serve as a platform for knowledge exchange of the joint study conducted by ACE and REA, explore the current approach of national energy statistics, and build technical capacity on the methodology, structure, and data flow that aligns with international standards.
Supported by the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership Financial Fund, the workshop strengthens cooperation in pursuing energy security and sustainability, in line with the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation APAEC 2026-2030, particularly Programme Area No. 6 on Regional Energy Policy and Planning (REPP), under Outcome-Based Strategy 1: advance the profile of ASEAN’s energy sector internationally.
Photo 2. H.E. Mr. Evgeny Zagaynov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to ASEAN (top left), Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE (top right), and Elena Vikulova, Russian Energy Agency (bottom right)
The workshop was officially opened with remarks from H.E. Mr. Evgeny Zagaynov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to ASEAN, who reaffirmed Russia’s growing energy cooperation with ASEAN on the 30th dialogue partnership anniversary, including commitment to strengthening the ASEAN energy database in line with APAEC 2026-2030 goals. Followed by Elena Vikulova, Director for International Cooperation of REA, she pointed out the importance of enhancing the energy statistics capabilities of ASEAN Member States.
Lastly, Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE, delivered welcome remarks that emphasise the critical role of the workshop to produce practical and actionable recommendations for ASEAN through close stakeholder-partner collaboration.
Photo 3. Dr. Zulfikar Yurnaidi, Head of MPP at ACE (top left), Silvira Ayu Rosalia, Energy Statistician of MPP at ACE (top right), Fadel Maulana, Data Officer of MPP at ACE (bottom left), and Duncan Millard, Senior International Energy and Statistics Advisor (bottom right)
To set the scene, Dr. Zulfikar Yurnaidi, Head of the Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) Department at ACE, presented the overview of how AR-CBES project could improve the energy statistics capacity across AMS through knowledge sharing, policy recommendations, and educational courses. Subsequently,
Silvira Ayu Rosalia, Energy Statistician of MPP, delivered a presentation that was focused on the key regional challenges in the energy data collection, including fragmented data systems among AMS, various methodologies, data gaps, and the need for stronger alignment with international standards and improved data validation processes. She also emphasised the need for improved alignment of energy data and statistics to ensure data validity as inputs for the ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO), the biennial flagship report of ACE. Lastly, Fadel Maulana, Data Officer of MPP, presented an overview of the ongoing activities on the ASEAN Energy Database System (AEDS) that is positioned as a central platform to enhance, accessibility, and analytical support for policy and planning.
The morning session was closed with an expert presentation by Duncan Millard, Senior International Energy and Statistics Advisor. In his presentation, Duncan emphasised the importance of adopting a phased approach to capacity building, starting from data mapping and supported by stronger institutional coordination, particularly between energy ministries and NSOs. While ASEAN has established a solid foundation, further progress will require strengthened governance, validation mechanisms, and cross-sector collaboration.
Photo 4. Nataliia Korolkova, Chief Researcher at Research Institute of Statistics of Rosstat (top left), Natalia Sadovnikova, Head of the Department of Statistics at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (top right), Mikhail Kachan, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Information Modeling at Russian Energy Agency (bottom left), and Sergey Gumerov, General Manager at Digital Twin LLC (bottom right)
During the afternoon session on the first day, experts from Russia further enriched the workshop by introducing practical frameworks and tools for energy statistics systems improvement. Nataliia Korolkova, Chief Researcher at Research Institute of Statistics of Rosstat and Natalia Sadovnikova, Head of the Department of Statistics at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, presented a five-layer statistical architecture to support interoperable and high-quality energy statistics systems and systemic gaps in ASEAN energy data ecosystems and proposed targeted solutions to improve data quality and integration, respectively.
In the following session, Mikhail Kachan, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Information Modelling at Russian Energy Agency, added insights on a conceptual framework and a five-stage development pathway for strengthening energy statistics systems, including proposals for ACE to centralise key functions such as methodology development and classifier maintenance.
The expert sharing session was concluded by a presentation by Sergey Gumerov, General Manager at Digital Twin LLC. Sergey demonstrated practical approaches to verifying energy balances and forecasting using input-output modelling, highlighting their applicability to ASEAN contexts.
The first day was summarised by Afham Kilmi, Research Analyst of MPP, who emphasised the need to harmonise energy statistics across ASEAN Member States by strengthening statistical institutions and building technical capacity, which also highlighted the importance of ASEAN–Russia collaboration as a platform to advance efforts in this area.
On Day 2, ASEAN Member States delivered country presentations on their national energy statistics systems. Moderated by Silvira Ayu Rosalia, these presentations highlighted ongoing efforts in developing indicator systems, managing national energy databases, and aligning with international standards, while also revealing common challenges such as fragmented data collection and limited standardisation.
Photo 5. Silvira Ayu Rosalia, Energy Statistician of ACE (top left), Pradittha Likitpattanakul and Salisa Rittimanomai from Thailand National Statistical Office and Dhanyadhorn Kaewprasert from Energy Policy and Planning Office Thailand (top right), Nur Shakina Sharif from Suruhanjaya Tenaga Energy Commission Malaysia (bottom left), and John Paul Sacop from The Philippine Statistics Authority and Charmaine Taliping from Department of Energy The Philippines (bottom right).
Following the presentation, a key highlight shared across all AMS was the persistence of fragmented data collection, along with the need for standardised energy balance methodologies. This underscores the importance of strengthening institutional coordination, modernising data systems, and enhancing human capacity across the region.
Upon the presentation given by each AMS, the workshop continued with Overview of the Data System from the Perspective of ASEAN Regional Statistics. Presented by Maria Fransisca Dewi Widowati and Hanik Aulia, Statistical Officers at Statistics Division of ASEAN Secretariat, focused on mechanisms to strengthen institutional coordination, standardise statistical practices through the ASEAN Code of Practice, and expand ASEAN Statistical Indicators across key sectors, including the use of ICT-driven, web-based systems and ASEAN statistical platforms to improve data accessibility and dissemination.
Photo 6. Maria Fransisca Dewi Widowati from ASEAN Secretariat (left) and Kiriil Pristavka and Artem Dushechkin from Federal State Statistics Service (right).
Further insights were provided by Kirill Pristavka and Artem Dushechkin from the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), who shared Russia’s experience in managing decentralised statistical sources through a centralised system, including the use of unified platforms and official dissemination channels. The presentation also outlined key energy indicators, including the energy balance and energy intensity, as well as dissemination channels such as Rosstat’s official website, the Unified Interdepartmental Statistical Information System (EMISS), and various statistical publications.
In the afternoon, the workshop transitioned into a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), where participants were divided into three groups. Each group was facilitated by Silvira Ayu Rosalia, Afham Kilmi, Fadel Maulana, Duncan Millard, and Russian delegates. The FGD invited participants to discuss several key issues, including challenges in establishing a national energy database, capacity gaps in energy statistics methodologies, and priority actions to strengthen national energy statistics systems in both the short and long term. The discussion also explored how ACE, in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat, can further support improved coordination and database management, as well as potential initiatives for establishing a dedicated Centre of Excellence to advance energy statistics in the region.
Photo 7. FGD session of Day-2 and Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi of ACE (bottom left) delivering closing remarks.
The workshop was officially concluded by Dr. Zulfikar Yurnaidi. In his closing remarks, it was noted that the workshop strengthened regional understanding of both challenges and opportunities in energy statistics. He emphasised that the insights gathered will inform the development of actionable recommendations, future training programmes, and continued collaboration between ASEAN and Russian partners.
