6 June 2012: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has reported on the activities of its third Council meeting, which included discussions on strategic, budgetary and programmatic issues.

The Council, which meets twice per year, gathered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 5-6 June 2012, bringing together 260 representatives, including seven at the ministerial level, from 96 countries. The Council discussed the Framework for the 2013 Work Programme and Budget, the proposed Medium-Term Strategy, and programme implementation, including the Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA), the work on socioeconomic impacts of renewable energy, and IRENA’s input into the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative.

At the meeting, it was also announced that a partnership between IRENA and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will be launched at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) , with the aim of supporting renewable energy projects in developing countries.

Adnan Amin, IRENA Director-General, stated that IRENA’s vision is to become “the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence on renewable energy and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge, and to support countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future.”

The fourth meeting of the Council will take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 12-13 November 2012. [IRENA Press Release]