Conference with Dr. Kandey Yumkella, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All,
CEO – Sustainable Energy for All,  Former Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organisation; Former Minister of Trade and Industry – Sierra Leone.

The conference will be introduced by  Ms. Barbara Pesce Monteiro, Director of the United Nations in Brussels, and by Frank De Wispelaere, Director General a.i. of Development Cooperation at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The debate will be led by Pr. Hervé Jeanmart, Louvain School of Engineering at the UCL University.

In September 2011, the UN launched a joint initiative with Governments, international agencies, civil society and private sector, seeking to achieve 3 main inter-linked objectives by 2030: (1) universal access to modern energy, (2) doubling energy efficiency, and (3) doubling the share of renewable energy.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that “Sustainable energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, social equity, a stable climate and a healthy environment”. He praised achievements already attained such as Brazil’s “Light for All” programme that reached 15 million people, Norway’s commitment of US$330 million in 2014 for global renewable energy and efficiency, Bank of America’s Green Bond that raised $500 million, OPEC’s announcement of a $1 billion fund for energy access, and 81 participating countries. Mr. Yumkella also reported on wide spread support for putting energy at the heart of the global development agenda beyond 2015, the deadline for the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

It is necessary to register in advance, by e-mail at : secretaire@apnu.be.

(Photo credit: UNRIC)