Background
Over the past few years, UNIDO has organized a number of successful, highly visible Global Forum activities. Such events allow bringing together policy-makers, experts and other key stakeholders in order to review the latest developments around a specific topic and exchange ideas. They offer a platform to promote information dissemination and enhance partnerships and cooperation between stakeholders. UNIDO’s proven track record in regard to coordinating high-level conferences includes the following major events:
Global Renewable Energy Forum, 18-21 May 2008, Brazil
This global event, which was held jointly by the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy and UNIDO promoted a proactive dialogue between countries and regions to reduce poverty and enhance energy security through the wide spread use of renewable energy. It aimed at strengthening interregional bonds, and at the same time, enhanced joint actions worldwide.
International Conference on Renewable Energy in Africa, 16-18 April 2008, Senegal
This joint activity by the government of Senegal, the African Union, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and UNIDO provided an opportunity to examine how bottlenecks in renewable energy markets in Africa can be addressed. The conference especially focused on policies, technologies, financing and capacity building related to renewables.
Iberoamerican Ministerial Meeting on Energy Security in the Latin American Region, 26-27 September 2006, Uruguay
This global meeting was jointly organized by UNIDO, the General Secretariat for the Iberoamerican Summit (SEGIB) and the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Industry of the Government of Uruguay (MIEM). The meeting provided a forum for Ministers of Energy from the region to discuss energy security matters and agree on specific actions to harness the potential of renewable energy technologies in meeting the region’s growing energy needs, especially within the framework of the economic and social realities of Latin-America.
As a natural follow up to these events, UNIDO joins forces with the Mexican Ministry of Energy to convene the Global Renewable Energy Forum due to take place in Mexico on 7-9 October 2009.
