From 16 to 18 September 2024, the delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the World Utilities Congress held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event was organised by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates.
The Turkmen delegation, headed by the Deputy Minister of Energy of Turkmenistan, included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the State Concern “Turkmengaz”.
The Congress was attended by more than 1400 delegates from more than 90 countries, including ministers, politicians, heads and representatives of international organizations and business circles. The event was held alongside the Arab Water Forum and included more than a hundred sessions dedicated to environmental issues.
UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei addressed the opening ceremony of the Congress. The opening day of the event encompassed the discussions aimed at resolving global water issues, including improved water management and adoption of relevant policies.
After the opening ceremony, the Turkmen delegation visited an exhibition highlighting the achievements in the energy sector presented by 180 organizations.
On the second day, a special session entitled “Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity: From Plans to Action” was held on global efforts to increase renewable energy capacity.
In his speech, Nurmammet Nurmammedov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Turkmenistan, elaborated on the current work and plans of the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan to develop renewable energy sources in the country.
The session was also attended by Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and Dr. Adrian Băzăvan Foreign Affairs Adviser of the Ministry of Energy of Romania. During the session, participants discussed issues related to the improved use of renewable energy, as well as steps to accelerate innovation and investment in this field.
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On the margins of the Congress, the Turkmen delegation had a separate meeting with Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The key issues of cooperation were discussed at the meeting. Turkmenistan presented its renewable energy targets for the period 2025-2030, emphasizing its commitment to partnership with IRENA and the global renewable energy sector.
Discussions focused on joint renewable energy projects, technical assistance and the preparation of Turkmenistan’s International Cooperation Plan 2025-2030. The IRENA Director-General expressed readiness to support the enhancement of Turkmenistan’s renewable energy ambitions within the framework of NDC 3.0.
Francesco La Camera also said that as part of efforts to strengthen international cooperation, a Renewable Energy Investment Forum, organized by IRENA in the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, is planned to be held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, in the coming months. He invited Turkmenistan to participate in this event.
The parties also discussed the possibility of holding joint events, training of specialists for the development of renewable energy.
On the last day of the Congress, the delegation of Turkmenistan took part in a session on the role of renewable energy in the future, financing methods involving the private sector.