Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ACCRA570
2009-06-17 15:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Accra
Cable title:
DEMARCHE DELIVERY ON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE
how-toVZCZCXRO1454 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHAR #0570 1681555 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 171555Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7926 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0010 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0064 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0048 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0032
UNCLAS ACCRA 000570
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DANIELLE MONOSSON; OES/EGC GRIFF THOMPSON;
IO/EDA REBECCA WEBBER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV EAID PREL GH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERY ON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE
ENERGY AGENCY
REF: SECSTATE 59969
UNCLAS ACCRA 000570
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DANIELLE MONOSSON; OES/EGC GRIFF THOMPSON;
IO/EDA REBECCA WEBBER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV EAID PREL GH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERY ON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE
ENERGY AGENCY
REF: SECSTATE 59969
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Reftel demarche delivered; Ghana
intends to ratify the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA) statute by August 2009 and will
attend the June 28-30 meeting in Egypt. Ghana will
support the Spanish candidate for Director General
of IRENA. Ghana,s President will decide whether to
support Germany or the UAE as host nation for the
IRENA headquarters. The GOG seeks for IRENA to
stimulate technology transfer and to benefit Ghana,s
development of alternative energy sources. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Mr.
Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, Head of Renewable Energy at
Ministry of Energy, who will be attending the
IRENA meeting in Egypt. Ghana,s decision to
support Germany or the UAE as HQ host will be made
by President Mills in the coming weeks.(Togobo,s
desk was littered with IRENA documents and
confidential position papers on IRENA from the
Minister of Energy to the Presidential Cabinet.) He
noted that Ghana directly benefited from years of
support from various German agencies and NGOs
working on renewable energy issues. Togobo himself
received a technical training scholarship under
Germany,s DAAD program. He commented that since
Germany initiated the concept for IRENA, it would
sad for them to lose the headquarters bid to a
'smarter' rival.
4. (SBU) Notwithstanding the prior relationship with
Germany, Ghana might support the UAE instead. The
UAE recently sent a delegation to Ghana to lobby for
support on the IRENA HQ vote, and to explore
potential assistance to Ghana,s emerging upstream
oil and gas sector. Togobo characterized the UAE as
"another developing country" that might be better
able to facilitate south-south exchanges on
renewable energy. Togobo indicated that Ghana,s
decision will be guided by a calculation of which
country (Germany or the UAE) will help Ghana more.
He inquired if the USG was offering an assistance
package to Ghana in exchange for supporting the
UAE,s HQ bid. Togobo stated that Ghana,s support
for the Spanish DG candidate is set, and not up
for discussion.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Ghana supports IRENA as a
mechanism to support technology transfer (to Ghana.)
This approach informs what they expect from the new
institution, and their apparent willingness to horse-
trade positions on administrative issues in exchange
for assistance hand-outs. END COMMENT.
TEITELBAUM
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DANIELLE MONOSSON; OES/EGC GRIFF THOMPSON;
IO/EDA REBECCA WEBBER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV EAID PREL GH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERY ON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE
ENERGY AGENCY
REF: SECSTATE 59969
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Reftel demarche delivered; Ghana
intends to ratify the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA) statute by August 2009 and will
attend the June 28-30 meeting in Egypt. Ghana will
support the Spanish candidate for Director General
of IRENA. Ghana,s President will decide whether to
support Germany or the UAE as host nation for the
IRENA headquarters. The GOG seeks for IRENA to
stimulate technology transfer and to benefit Ghana,s
development of alternative energy sources. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Mr.
Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, Head of Renewable Energy at
Ministry of Energy, who will be attending the
IRENA meeting in Egypt. Ghana,s decision to
support Germany or the UAE as HQ host will be made
by President Mills in the coming weeks.(Togobo,s
desk was littered with IRENA documents and
confidential position papers on IRENA from the
Minister of Energy to the Presidential Cabinet.) He
noted that Ghana directly benefited from years of
support from various German agencies and NGOs
working on renewable energy issues. Togobo himself
received a technical training scholarship under
Germany,s DAAD program. He commented that since
Germany initiated the concept for IRENA, it would
sad for them to lose the headquarters bid to a
'smarter' rival.
4. (SBU) Notwithstanding the prior relationship with
Germany, Ghana might support the UAE instead. The
UAE recently sent a delegation to Ghana to lobby for
support on the IRENA HQ vote, and to explore
potential assistance to Ghana,s emerging upstream
oil and gas sector. Togobo characterized the UAE as
"another developing country" that might be better
able to facilitate south-south exchanges on
renewable energy. Togobo indicated that Ghana,s
decision will be guided by a calculation of which
country (Germany or the UAE) will help Ghana more.
He inquired if the USG was offering an assistance
package to Ghana in exchange for supporting the
UAE,s HQ bid. Togobo stated that Ghana,s support
for the Spanish DG candidate is set, and not up
for discussion.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Ghana supports IRENA as a
mechanism to support technology transfer (to Ghana.)
This approach informs what they expect from the new
institution, and their apparent willingness to horse-
trade positions on administrative issues in exchange
for assistance hand-outs. END COMMENT.
TEITELBAUM