UAE hosts meet on renewable energy

Abu Dhabi, Jan 18 (IANS/WAM) The fourth assembly of the of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) began in this United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital Saturday with the focus on securing a clean energy future for the world.

Heads of state and ministers from over 150 countries as well as representatives from 120 international organisations are participating in the two-day event in this city, which also houses the headquarter of IRENA.

The event features IRENA's flagship projects, its current and future work programmes, and several public and media events.

"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, director-general of IRENA's Director-General, said in his address in the inaugural session.

"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.

In his address, Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, Mexico's secretary of energy and president of the assembly, said that IRENA was a global campaigner for the advancement of renewable energy, and a convener that creates a platform for international collaboration.

"It is through important international platforms like this that we will secure our clean energy future," he said.

Earlier, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, minister of state and the 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 large number of the world's major renewable energy markets have joined IRENA.

He underlined that the UAE, as the host of IRENA, exerts greater efforts to ensure success, adding that population growth and the world's increasing demand for energy reflect the importance of IRENA.

The 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 inter-governmental organisation to be headquartered in the Middle East.

--IANS/WAM

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