Francesco La Camera Appointed as IRENA Chief for Second Term

IRENA calls on International Community to reimagine cooperation for new energy era, agrees on five-year strategy taking the Agency towards 2030.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 15 January 2023 – The 13th session of the Assembly has concluded today with significant decisions for the future of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

IRENA’s global membership of 168 countries has appointed the incumbent Director-General for a second term of four years. Francesco La Camera has served as Director-General of IRENA since 4 April 2019.

Furthermore, IRENA Members have agreed on the Agency’s Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) for the coming five years. The new work strategy for 2023-2027 sets out a new direction for the Agency focused on urgent and targeted action, unparalleled international cooperation, and continuous innovation.

Against the backdrop of a rapidly shrinking timeline to deliver on global climate and developments goals by 2030, this MTS is the last full five-year cycle before 2030 that outlines IRENA’s contribution to global energy efforts.

It focuses on systemic changes in energy and beyond with greater focus on access and equality, on interaction between renewables and energy security and resilience and an additional pillar on regional and country level work.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA said: “We must build a new energy system with the tools and systems of the future, not the past. Just as we innovate to improve technologies, we must innovate to reimagine international cooperation for the new energy era.”

He added: “A renewables-based transition is a vehicle for climate-proof energy systems, improved energy security, reduced inequality and long-overdue universal access. I am deeply humbled to have been appointed for a new term as Director-General. I will continue to work tirelessly to realise IRENA’s new global mission.”

Read the Medium-Term Strategy 2023-2027 here.