The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) is a global technical assistance program which helps build consensus and provides policy advice on sustainable energy development to governments of developing countries and economies in transition. ESMAP also contributes to the transfer of technology and knowledge in energy sector management and the delivery of modern energy services to the poor.

ESMAP was established in 1983 under the joint sponsorship of the World Bank and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as a partnership with UNDP in response to global energy crises. ESMAP’s mandate has evolved over time to meet the changing needs of its clients. ESMAP suggests innovative and strategic "cutting edge" solutions to governments, in the areas of both traditional and non-traditional energy use, complementing and facilitating the work of other development institutions and the private sector. ESMAP is focused on upstream, that is pre-investment, issues that have clear potential for key policy formulation and energy investment.

Since its creation, ESMAP has operated in some 100 different countries through approximately 750 activities covering a broad range of energy issues. Early on, these activities were almost exclusively Country Energy Assessments -- tools which served to fill the knowledge gap on the energy situation in a specific country, and provide options to address priority energy issues in an environment of rapidly rising energy prices. More recently, ESMAP’s product line has been expanded to include targeted technical studies, strategic advice, best practice dissemination, and pre-investment work. The work program in early 2007 included some 120 ongoing projects grouped under four Thematic Areas:

• Energy Security (Energy Efficiency)
  
• Energy Poverty (Gender and Access)
  
• Market Efficiency and Governance
  
• Renewable Energy

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