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DE RUEHC #1286/01 1641821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131758Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 7827

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 061286 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV
SUBJECT: U.S. VIEWS ON THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE 
ENERGY AGENCY 
 
REF: A. STATE 59969, B. STATE 59971, C. 2008 STATE 
134385 
 
¶1.      (SBU) SUMMARY:  This is an action request. The USG is 
considering signing the Statute of the International 
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the international 
agreement establishing the organization, in time for the 
June 28-30 IRENA preparatory meeting in Egypt.  Per 
reftels A and B, the Department has sent an action 
request to all posts in host countries that have taken 
the first step toward becoming members of IRENA, by 
signing the IRENA Statute.  At the Egypt meeting, 
signatory countries will vote for the headquarters (HQ) 
and Director-General (DG) of IRENA.  Additional 
countries are signing the IRENA Statute daily and will 
therefore attend and vote at the Egypt meeting.  The 
Department requests that all embassies that were not 
action addressees in reftels A and B seek to learn the 
host government's positions on joining IRENA and its HQ 
and DG, if relevant.  The Department requests that 
embassies relay U.S. views on IRENA's mission and HQ. 
Post reporting as soon as possible, preferably no later 
than Thursday, June 17, would be appreciated.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The objectives, suggested talkings points and 
background provided in reftels A (and B) are repeated in 
paragraphs 5 - 14 below. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The HQ competition is focused on Germany's and 
the UAE's bids.  The Department has been advised that 
Germany is lobbying in the Caribbean and in EAP to sign 
the Statute, attend the Egypt meeting and vote for 
Germany in the HQ competition. 
 
¶4. (U) Please contact EEB/ESC Danielle Monosson, OES/EGC 
Griff Thompson, and IO/EDA Rebecca Webber with questions 
or for additional information.  The Department 
appreciates posts' efforts. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) OBJECTIVES FOR ALL POSTS 
 
All posts should pursue the following objectives when 
delivering this demarche: 
 
-- First, note that after an internal policy review the 
U.S. is giving serious consideration to signing the 
IRENA Statute during the June 28-30 IRENA meeting, 
pending ongoing consultations with Congress. Reinforce 
that Congressional support is not a given.  Congress 
will review carefully IRENA's mission, cost, and where 
it will be based. 
 
-- Second, highlight that, as potential members of IRENA 
with responsibility for a large percentage of its 
budget, we would want to ensure that: a) its mission and 
action plan identify and fill existing gaps and 
deficiencies in global activities, rather than duplicate 
existing programs and b) its operations are aligned with 
our vision of renewable energy promotion and technology 
diffusion, consistent with other national, regional and 
global programs.  We also have some technical legal 
issues with the statute that we will seek to resolve by 
the Egypt meeting. 
 
-- Third, underscore that the U.S. government believes 
the UAE's bid to host IRENA headquarters is impressive and 
compelling, and is a factor in the USG's interest in 
joining IRENA.  Urge support for UAE's headquarters bid 
at the June 28-30 meeting in Egypt. 
 
-- Fourth, seek information from host governments on 
their IRENA position; specifically: a) if they haven't signed 
the IRENA Statute, do they plan to if so, when?  b) if 
they have signed the Statute, when are they likely to 
ratify? c) if they are participating in the Egypt 
meeting, what are their views on the location for the HQ 
and IRENA DG position? d)what are their views on the 
mission, purpose, and focus IRENA should take? (Note: 
See Background section for list of countries that have 
joined or are moving toward doing so.) 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶6. (U) German-sponsored IRENA launched in January 2009 
And currently has 96 signatory countries. Membership in 
 
STATE 00061286  002 OF 003 
 
 
IRENA requires a two step process.  First, a country signs the 
IRENA Statute, and second, the signatory country obtains 
domestic ratification of the Statute.  The ratification 
process varies by country.  The IRENA Statute enters 
into force once 25 countries deposit their instruments of 
ratification. 
 
¶7. (U) The US attended the Founding Conference in 
January (six days after President Obama,s inauguration) as an 
observer, but did not have an official Administration 
position.  Following the Founding Conference, the first 
Preparatory Commission assembled.  The Preparatory 
Commission consists of IRENA's Signatory States and acts 
as the interim body during the founding period.  The 
Commission discussed the next steps for IRENA and 
established a Committee for the selection of the Interim 
Director-General, chaired by Lithuania, and a Committee 
for the selection of the interim headquarters, chaired 
by the Republic of Korea. An Administrative Committee 
was formed as well, chaired by Germany.  The second 
session of the Preparatory Commission will be hosted by 
Egypt, June 28-30, 2009, at which time the selection of 
both the interim HQ and DG will be made.  The US will 
attend the Egypt meeting, as an IRENA Statute signatory, 
if the USG decides to become a member of IRENA. 
Austria, Denmark, Germany, and the UAE have formally 
requested to host IRENA, and we support the UAE's 
candidacy.  There are five candidates for the DG 
position, from Denmark, France, Greece, Spain, and 
Nigeria; the USG does not have a position on the DG at 
this time. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Countries that the Department understands will 
be signing the IRENA Statute prior to the Egypt meeting 
include Australia, the United Kingdom and possibly Japan 
and Canada.  In addition, we are interested to know the 
views of Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and 
South Africa on joining IRENA and its mission, HQ and 
DG. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Following several weeks of interagency 
deliberation, the U.S. is moving towards joining IRENA 
and is taking the necessary internal steps to be able to 
sign the IRENA Statute, if certain internal concerns can 
be resolved, particularly consultations with Congress as 
Congressional approval is needed for U.S. membership and 
funding. 
 
¶10. (SBU) If the USG determines that there is sufficient 
Congressional support and that other concerns are 
resolved, we intend to sign the IRENA Statute at the 
late June IRENA meeting and then ratify at a future 
date.  Diplomatic outreach to convey U.S. preferences 
for the mission and HQ of IRENA is critical to 
influencing decisions at the Egypt IRENA meeting.  Post 
reporting will inform Washington's decision process.  A 
formal, final decision on joining IRENA will be reached 
through the Circular 175 process as early as next week. 
The Department will transmit a subsequent cable to 
update posts. 
 
¶11. (SBU) As the USG considers joining IRENA, Washington 
would encourage IRENA members to support the UAE as the 
HQ of IRENA.  The USG would also urge that IRENA focus 
on capacity building in developing countries, especially 
through technical cooperation, rather than engage in 
building or helping finance renewable energy projects. 
 
¶12. Signatory countries as of June 12, 2009 are listed 
below. The Department understands that none of these 
countries has yet ratified the Statute. 
 
-- AF: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African 
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Republic of), Cte 
d,Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, 
Eritrea,Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, 
Kenya,Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, 
Nigeria,Republic of Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and 
Principe, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, 
Uganda, Zambia 
 
-- EAP: Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Republic 
of Korea 
 
-- EUR: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 
Bulgaria,Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, France, 
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, 
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, 
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of 
Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, 
Sweden,Switzerland, Turkey, 
 
STATE 00061286  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
-- NEA: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, 
Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab 
Emirates, 
Yemen 
 
-- SCA:  Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan 
 
-- WHA: Argentina, Chile, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay 
 
¶13. (U) Please see reftel C for additional background on 
IRENA and the evolution of the U.S. position. 
 
¶14. (U) Suggested TALKING POINTS 
 
- The U.S. is moving towards joining IRENA and is taking 
the necessary internal steps to be able to sign the 
IRENA Statute, if certain concerns can be resolved. 
 
Why Does the U.S. Want to Join IRENA? 
- The U.S. strongly supports renewable energy, both 
domestically and internationally, and those multilateral 
institutions promoting its deployment. 
- IRENA offers the potential - if focused appropriately 
- to substantially scale up global use of renewable 
energy through capacity building and networking that do not 
currently exist in any other multilateral forum on 
energy. 
- IRENA can help improve public policy makers, 
understanding of renewable energy policy requirements 
and best practices for technology diffusion.  Renewable 
energy technologies address the multiple domestic and 
international objectives of energy security, climate 
change mitigation, economic growth and job creation, and 
cleaner air quality. 
 
U.S. Vision of IRENA Mission 
As a member of IRENA, we would want to ensure that: 
- its mission and action plan identify and fill existing 
gaps and deficiencies in global activities, rather than 
duplicate existing programs 
- its operations are aligned with our vision of 
Renewable energy promotion and technology diffusion, and 
Consistent with  other national, regional and global programs. 
- IRENA's primary function should be capacity building 
and technical assistance work with developing countries, 
at both the national and sub-national levels, through 
the exchange of best practices and a menu of policy options. 
 
Why Support the UAE as IRENA Headquarters? 
- The UAE has submitted a strong bid for hosting IRENA, 
including a promise of significant funding. 
- UAE's long-term commitment to transform its energy 
sector from one reliant on oil and gas to one that 
thrives on renewable and alternative energies and energy 
efficient technology should be supported. 
- The UAE's location facilitates the coordination of 
global efforts to counter climate change.  IRENA would 
be the first Middle-East headquartered permanent 
international organization with a focus on clean energy 
technology. 
- The selection of an OPEC country to host IRENA would 
send an important positive message about the global 
transition to a low-carbon economy. 
- The bulk of global energy demand growth is expected to 
come from Asia and the Middle East, making a UAE 
headquarters a practical choice 
 
If Asked, Challenges to U.S. Joining 
- The USG needs support of the U.S. Congress ) both 
approval to join and allocation of funding for IRENA. 
We cannot join IRENA without Congressional support. 
Consultations with the Congress, to gauge level of 
support, are ongoing. (Note:  There is no existing 
funding to support U.S. membership in IRENA.  The U.S. 
would be required to contribute 22% of the budget, after 
the USG ratifies. IRENA's annual budget is $17 million 
in FY10, growing to at least $48 million over time. End 
note.) 
- The USG supports an IRENA whose primary function is 
capacity building and technical assistance work with 
developing countries, at both the national and sub- 
national levels, through the exchange of best practices 
and a menu of policy options.  The USG is concerned that 
IRENA could duplicate work in several other multilateral 
organizations. 
 
END SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS 
 
¶15.  (U) Minimize considered. 
CLINTON