ABU DHABI, Jan 11 – The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) opened its 16th Assembly in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, bringing together more than 1,500 ministers, policymakers, CEOs and delegates from 171 member states for the first major global energy meeting of 2026.

Held from Jan. 10-12 under the theme “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity”, the gathering will set international cooperation priorities for accelerating the energy transition. Discussions will cover regional energy strategies, grid infrastructure, digital innovation including artificial intelligence, financing for renewables and sustainable aviation fuels, as well as the role of clean energy in agri-food systems and industrialisation.

“It’s time to ignite a global push and positive vision for the energy transition,” IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said. “Shifting geopolitics and intensifying climate impacts are putting energy resilience at risk. While renewables are breaking records, progress remains uneven, leaving many countries locked out of the benefits.”

Bojan Kumer, Slovenia’s environment and energy minister and outgoing Assembly president, said IRENA had “successfully navigated challenges” over the past year and remained a “trusted voice for global cooperation on renewable energy technologies.”

Betty Soto, deputy minister of innovation and energy transition of the Dominican Republic, representing the incoming presidency, highlighted the importance of renewables for small island states. “The energy transition is inseparable from resilience, justice, and the right to a secure future,” she said, citing the country’s Sargassum-to-Energy project as an example of rapid progress through international cooperation.

The Assembly, IRENA’s supreme decision-making body, is recognised as a global platform for inclusive debate on energy transition. It coincides with the 6th World Energy Transition Day and precedes Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, which runs Jan. 11-15 and will convene heads of state, ministers and experts to advance global sustainability efforts.