UAE confirmed as headquarters of IRENA

IRENA officially makes the UAE its hom. (Getty Images)

The inaugural session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has officially confirmed that the global organisation’s permanent headquarters will be in the UAE.

Dedicated to promoting the adoption of renewable energy across the world, the first session of the general assembly saw 800 delegated from 150 countries attend, along with more than 90 ministers.

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Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change, said: “Today’s first meeting of the assembly is a momentous occasion for IRENA, demonstrating the vision of our wise leadership, as well as the strong global determination to work cooperatively to advance the use of renewable energy around the world.”

He added: “The UAE is honoured to be the permanent home of IRENA, and will continue to be a strong advocate for further global collaboration and the deployment of renewable energy.”

He also said that the Emirates will provide IRENA with a solid foundation for open, multi-lateral dialogue and real action. 148 countries have already having signed the Statute of the Agency, along with the European Union, making IRENA the first truly international organisation based in an Arab country.

As a conduit for knowledge sharing and collective decision-making, the UAE is confident that IRENA will accelerate the pace at which renewable energy is deployed and integrated around the globe,” said Dr Al Jaber. “We look forward to building on the important progress of this week, and hope to see more countries ratify by the second assembly.”