ABU DHABI TO SUPPORT IRENA, REQUESTS USG SPEAKER FOR WORLD

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000006 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/RA AND OES STATE PASS TO USAID STATE FOR NEA/ARP (MASILKO),EEB/ESC (MONOSSON) AND OES/EGC (THOMPSON) EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL DOE FOR NREL EMBASSY AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB OFFICER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG PGOV KGHG EUN AE SUBJECT: ABU DHABI TO SUPPORT IRENA, REQUESTS USG SPEAKER FOR WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT REF: 08 STATE 134385 ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request in para 2. ¶2. (SBU) On January 4, Iain Twine, a consultant for MASDAR, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, asked EconOff if a USG official would be able to participate in a January 21 round table discussion of governments' role in promoting renewal energy. Twine said the session was being added to the Masdar-sponsored World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi to provide an opportunity for U.S. and other governments to publicize their efforts and policies in this sector. Twine noted that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has decided to support the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA, reftel),and that German (perhaps at the ministerial level),Spanish and Dutch officials would speak at the January 21 session. While IRENA would not be the topic of the session, some officials would likely mention it in their comments. Post requests the Department advise if the USG wishes to participate, and, if affirmative, requests assistance in identifying a USG speaker. ¶3. (U) The World Future Energy Summit (WFES, http://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com),which will be held January 19-21, 2009 in Abu Dhabi and is expected to draw high-profile international participation. The January 2008 WFES included participation by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. Officials from Sandia National Laboratories will be participating in the U.S. pavilion at the WFES exhibition, but no USG officials are currently scheduled to participate in the summit seminar. OLSON