From 7 to 11 August, UNDESA, UNDP and the Secretariat of Planning for Economic and Social Development of Paraguay implemented the first energy systems model workshop in Asuncion. The workshop included 15 government officials from several ministries and government agencies, such as the Secretariat of Planning, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade; from energy entities such as the National Electricity Administration and the electricity company Itaipu; and from the Universidad Nacional de Asuncion.
Sessions introduced participants to the main underlying concepts of linear programming and energy systems modelling, and featured hands-on sessions where attendants built a simplified energy systems model for Paraguay. The workshop facilitated the exchange of views, data and perspectives on energy issues, and featured two presentations: one on the MESSAGE model for Paraguay by the Vice-Ministry of Mines and Energy and a second on the Paraguay LEAP model by the Universidad Nacional de Asuncion.