With the participation of 139 countries…the start of the work of the 16th session of the General Assembly"Irina" In Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, 11TH JANUARY / WAM / The sixteenth session of the General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) began today in the capital, Abu Dhabi, and will continue until January 12th, making it the first international meeting in the energy sector for the year 2026.
Ministers, high-level officials and representatives of 139 countries and the European Union participate in the event, which is held under the slogan “Providing humanity with energy…renewable energy for shared prosperity,” with the participation of 1,524 participants from member states and partners, including 45 countries represented at the ministerial level and an elite group of CEOs, investors, international organizations, and youth, with the aim of setting a joint action agenda and determining priorities for international cooperation for a better energy future.
The main discussions of the current session focus on regional energy transitions and critical enablers such as electricity grids, energy planning, digital innovation, artificial intelligence and financing mobilization; Including sustainable aviation fuel as well as examining how renewable energy can contribute to enhancing agri-food systems and green manufacturing.
In his opening speech before the sixteenth session of the IRENA Association, Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), stressed that renewable energy has become the most competitive option for generating electricity in the world, superior to fossil fuels in terms of cost, flexibility and stability in the long term, stressing that the path of transformation in the energy sector has become irreversible.
At the beginning of his speech, La Camera welcomed the participants, congratulating His Excellency Joel Adrian Santos Echavarria, Minister of Energy and Mines of the Dominican Republic, on assuming the presidency of the sixteenth session of the Assembly. He also thanked the Deputy Minister, Her Excellency Betty Soto, for representing her country, expressing his aspiration for joint work throughout the year. He also congratulated the Vice-Presidents from the Solomon Islands, Spain, Antigua and Barbuda and Kenya, praising at the same time the role of the former presidency of Slovenia and its leadership of the fifteenth session.
The Director-General of IRENA pointed out that the convening of the Assembly comes at a time when the world is facing intersecting crises, including geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, and widening inequality gaps, in addition to the three global crises of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and pollution, stressing that these challenges are now threatening the sustainability of the current global development model.
He explained that the global energy system is witnessing a radical transformation by moving from a central model based on fossil fuels to a more decentralized system based on renewable energy, including the sustainable use of biomass and hydrogen, especially green hydrogen produced from renewable sources, pointing out that the market has already made its choice in favor of renewable energy.
He said that 92% of the new electrical capacity installed last year was from renewable sources, while the world is heading towards a new record this year with the expectation of adding approximately 700 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, noting that what was installed in one year is equivalent to doubling the total nuclear capacity built during the past seventy years.
La Camera called on countries to strengthen their renewable energy strategies, not only to achieve climate action goals, but because they represent the most flexible and feasible economic path to achieving development, security, decarbonization, and enhancing competitiveness, explaining that the competitiveness of future economies will be measured by their ability to provide clean and safe energy at the lowest possible cost.
He stressed that countries that move quickly will achieve sustainable production and competitive advantages, while hesitant countries will lag behind, noting that renewable energy represents the basis for industrial competitiveness and economic productivity.
He stressed the pivotal role of international cooperation in supporting the global energy transition by providing low-cost financing mechanisms, reducing investment risks, and promoting innovative financing tools, stressing that access to concessional financing must be a cornerstone of international cooperation.
He explained that the number of IRENA members has increased to 171 members, which reflects the growing confidence in the agency’s role and the importance of international cooperation in the field of renewable energy, stressing that this growth enhances the agency’s unique role in directing the global transformation towards a safer, more inclusive and sustainable future.
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