Jun 29th, 2009 (WAM): Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan headed the official delegation of the United Arab Emirates to the constituent assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) due to start tomorrow (Monday) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. The assembly is convened to select the headquarters of the IRENA and elect its Director General, as well as to discuss issues related to the renewable energy across the world. UAE has made an official bid to host the headquarters of the Agency, the other competitors being Germany and Austria. Eminent personalities from France, Spain, Denmark and Greece are contesting for the post of the Director General of the international agency.

The choice will be made tomorrow in the conference to be attended by delegations from 115 countries worldwide in addition to a large number of world's renowned personalities and international organisations working in the field of renewable energy and environment. UAE is the only contender among developing countries for hosting the headquarters of IRENA, and if this bid wins, UAE will become the first country among the developing nations to become home to any international Agency. The UAE delegation is composed of Minister of Foreign Trade HE Sheikh Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Energy HE Mohammed Bin Dhaen Al Hamily, Minister of Environment and Water HE Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahd Minister of State HE Dr. Maitha Salem Al Shamisi, Minister of State HE Reem Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Assistant to Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Khalid Ghanim Al Ghaith and CEO of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE ambassador to Egypt Ahmed Ali Nasser Al Zaabi, UAE's Permanent Representative to UN Office in Geneva Obeid Salem Al Zaabi, UAE ambassador to South Africa Ismail Obeid and a number of senior officials.

On another level, the Arab League renewed its support to UAE in its bid to host the IRENA headquarters. Director at the office of the Secretary General of Arab League Hisham Yusuf said in a statement on the eve of the IRENA constituent Assembly that the League has carried out intensive contacts with the member countries asking them to support the UAE bid.