CHRISTOPH FREI Energy leaders of tomorrow will need to rely on different skill sets from the energy leaders of the past
Photo by: Duane Daws
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and the World Energy Council (WEC) have signed a joint declaration to support the global dissemination of sustainable energy solutions.
Under the new partnership, Unido and the WEC have committed to developing the leadership skills and the overall capacity of energy leaders and policymakers from developing countries, as well as exploring options to promote energy access through global platforms – such as the electrification accelerator in the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
“Strengthening the capacities on energy policies and relevant enabling frameworks is critical to drive the reform of the energy sector in line with the shifting needs of the energy transition,” states WEC secretary-general Christoph Frei.
He adds that the energy leaders of tomorrow will need to rely on different skill sets from the energy leaders of the past. Frei remarks that working with global actors, such as Unido as well as leading MBA programmes, will create a “powerful outreach” for the council’s capacity building and sharing of best practices.
Moreover, Unido director-general LI Yong comments that his organisation looks forward to working with the WEC to promote sustainable energy solutions by focusing on capacity building and promoting energy access.
“We are confident that, through targeted training and specialised fellowships, we will help countries design policy instruments that encourage innovation, new business models and a sustainable development of the energy sector”.
The agreement was reached during the World Energy Leaders Summit, which was organised by the WEC and the Energy Secretariat of Mexico (Secretaría de Energía, or Sener) to facilitate the dialogue on opportunities and challenges influencing the development of the energy sector.