Saturday, January 21, 2012

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS’ DIRECTORATE OF ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE PARTICIPATES AT THE 2012 WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Friday, January 20th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

The Directorate of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated at this week’s World Future Energy Summit (WFES), reinforcing its intergovernmental role as a bridge between national and global clean energy initiatives.

The Pavilion featured the expanding role of the Directorate tasked with managing the relationship with the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). It also leads the UAE’s international engagements in climate change and clean energy, while working with domestic stakeholders to develop national clean energy and climate policies.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited the Pavilion, as did a number of high officials, including His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs; His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Education and Scientific Research.

Foreign visitors included HE Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations; HE Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, President of the United Nations General Assembly, and HE Ólafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland. They were briefed by members of the DECC team on its mandate, recent high profile work in climate negotiations, and support of IRENA’s expanding legal and infrastructural needs.

Dr. Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change and CEO of MASDAR, said: “The Directorate’s presence at WFES reinforces the importance the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is placing on energy and climate change through the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan.”

He added: “WFES has offered DECC an excellent opportunity to share their achievements and ambitions with domestic and international representatives of government, industry, NGOs and academia.”

The DECC team organized and participated in a number of events including the “Women Leading the Way in Clean Energy and Climate Change” workshop, presentations at the Masdar Theater, the Department of Municipal Affairs stand and others, as well as at the closing plenary session.

Summing up DECC’s participation at WFES, Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Director of DECC, commented: “Our presence at this world class event has provided us with an opportunity to showcase and advance all aspects of our work – including the enhancement of existing international and national partnerships, while forging new ones.”

He added: “The success of this outreach exercise emphasizes the extensive cooperation we receive from key departments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with particular support from our protocol, legal, political and media colleagues, and other national stakeholders in the UAE suach as Masdar”

The Directorate of Energy & Climate Change was established by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2010, following a detailed review of the experience of other nations in creating similar government units.

ENDS

For further information, please go to: www.mofa.gov.ae

Contacts

Shaima Alaydarous

sh.alaydarous@mofa.gov.ae

+9712 4931502



No comments:

Post a Comment