International Renewable Energy Agency opens fourth Assembly

Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 18, 2014: Heads of State and Ministers from over 150 countries as well as representatives from 120 international organisations gathered in Abu Dhabi today for the opening of the Fourth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The Assembly, the Agency's ultimate decision-making authority, takes place today and tomorrow. Kicking-off Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2014, the event features IRENA's flagship projects, its current and future work programmes, and several public and media events. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State and UAE's Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change, welcomed in his inaugural speech the participants and new members who recently joined IRENA, noting that a great number of world major renewable energy markets joined IRENA. He underlined that the UAE as a host of IRENA exerts greater efforts to ensure success, adding that the population growth and world's increasing demand for energy reflect the importance of IRENA. "IRENA's focus is accelerating the deployment of renewables worldwide, and our Assembly gives us the opportunity to present our current and future work to our membership," Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA's Director-General, said. "We are now engaged with over 165 countries. As more and more countries join, IRENA's role as the global hub for renewable energy is becoming ever more prominent." He added, "IRENA is a global campaigner for the advancement of renewable energy, and a convener that creates a platform for international collaboration," said Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, Mexico Secretary of Energy and President of the Assembly. "It is through important international platforms like this that we will secure our clean energy future." Highlights during the Assembly include the launch of "REmap 2030", the much anticipated roadmap for doubling the global renewable energy share by 2030; and the announcement of the first six renewable energy projects in developing countries receiving loans under the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility partnership from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is mandated as the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange by 124 Members (123 States and the European Union). Over 43 additional countries are in the accession process and actively engaged. Formally established in 2011, IRENA is the first global intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in the Middle East.