Second Meeting of IRENA Council, 13-14 November 2011.

The governing Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has concluded its second meeting in Abu Dhabi after two days of deliberations. The meeting was attended by 142participants from the 21 Member countries and 44 Observer countries.

The Council is IRENA’s governing body who report to the Assembly, and convenes twice a year. The membership consists of 21 countries each for a term of two years. The second meeting of the Council was opened by the Chair, Martin Hoffman, Deputy Secretary of the Australian Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.The Council was supported by the Vice-Chair, Heung Kyeong Park of the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.For the 2012 Council, the United Arab Emirates was elected as the Chair, and Sweden as the Vice-Chair.

In his initial comments at the Council,IRENA Director-General Adnan Amin told participants that, “It is great to have a sense of community around the activities of IRENA and your continuing and strong engagement.” The Director-General provided members with an overview of activities implemented during 2011. His report provided an account of the strategic and programmatic work undertaken as well as information on the human and financial resources of the Agency.IRENA has initiated and furthered projects related to policy, capacity building, innovation and technology.

During this meeting the Council deliberated the draft Work Programme and Budget for 2012, and discussed a draft of the Mid-term Strategy. IRENA’s Council is served by three Committees: Governance and Legal; Finance; and Policy and Strategy. Each of these Committees held meetings in the two days prior to the Council, to form views and recommendations to present to the Council. The Work Programme and Budget 2012 will be conveyed to the Second Session of the Assembly, to be held in January 2012. The Mid-term Strategy will continue to benefit from discussions by Members at the Assembly in January, where a number of high-level officials representing IRENA’s members are expected to participate.

The Council congratulated IRENA on the work it has initiated, and the progress it has made since it was formally established in April 2011. The Members expressed their desire to see the Agency continue to position itself at the center of renewable energy worldwide and to become the global depository of renewable energy knowledge.

IRENA
The International Renewable Energy Agency is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. Since its founding in Bonn is 2009, 149 states and the European Union signed the Statue of the Agency and 84 States and the European Union are ratifying Members of the Agency. For more information please visit: www.irena.org

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