On 16 April, the European Commission and the Danish Presidency of the EU Council will host the EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit. This event will bring together high-level representatives from the EU, United Nations, developing countries, industry and civil society organisations committed to achieving sustainable energy for all by 2030. This ambitious goal was set up by a High Level Group led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, of which Commissioner Piebalgs is a Member.
The Summit will be opened by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Other high profile guests are expected to include Michelle Bachelet (Executive Director, UN Women), Armando Guebuza, President of Mozambique, Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank Group, Werner Hoyer, President of European Investment Bank and Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. Commissioner Piebalgs will co-chair the event and give the closing speech together with Christian Friis Bach Danish Minister for Development Cooperation.
The conference aims to mobilise the efforts of all concerned in order to promote growth in developing countries through access to sustainable energy. It will also put a special focus on gender and access to sustainable energy for women. This summit will be important; both in preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil in June 2012 and in helping to define the way forward for the EU's contribution to the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
A press conference with high profile attendees will take place at 11.30am in the press room at Berlaymont.