Foreign Minister Emma Bonino’s meeting today with the Executive Director of International Energy Agency (IEA), Mrs. Maria Van Der Hoeven, was an occasion of cordial relations and concrete discussions. Mrs. Maria Van Der Hoeven was in Rome to take part in the workshop organised by the Foreign Ministry on “Energy and the Environment: synergies for sustainability”.
The issues of involving Italy’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the renewable energy sector and joint initiatives for EXPO 2015 were high on the agenda. Minister Bonino also congratulated Mrs. Van Der Hoeven on the IEA’s efforts in promoting international dialogue with the emerging economies on energy security and sustainability.
Mrs. Van Der Hoeven observed that Italian technology in the energy sector opens up excellent opportunities for Italian enterprises wishing to internationalise. She also illustrated the Agency’s project for Africa, which will feature as a “Special Focus” of the World Energy Outlook 2014. Minister Bonino concluded by expressing her satisfaction at the election of Alicia Mignone as Chair of the IEA’s Committee on Energy Research and Technology.
