16 May 2012: Speaking at the fifth Middle East North Africa Renewable Energy Conference (MENAREC 5), Adnan Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), highlighted the potential for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to be a global leader in renewable energy production.

Chairing a plenary session under the theme “Renewable Energy: Prospects and Challenges of Regional Cooperation,” Amin noted the region’s wealth of potential for solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, ocean and bioenergy production. He added that production could go well beyond satisfying regional demand for renewable energy to energy generation for neighboring regions. He cautioned however, that many challenges must first be overcome before realizing high levels of renewables deployment, and called for “cooperation, commitments, investment and initiatives.”

IRENA was nominated as a MENAREC committee member to follow up on recommendations resulting from the conference. Libya will host MENAREC 6 in 2014, to be co-organized by IRENA.

MENAREC 5 took place from 15-16 May 2012, in Marrakech, Morocco. It organized by the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment of Morocco in partnership with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). [IRENA Press Release] [MENAREC 5 Website]