IEA Executive Director meets with President of Switzerland Doris Leuthard

BERNE – Dr Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, met today with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, to review topics of mutual interest, including the latest developments in the global energy scene and modernisation of the IEA. 

President Leuthard, who is also the head of the Swiss Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, and Dr Birol also discussed Switzerland’s energy policy, and the IEA’s upcoming 2017 Ministerial Meeting.

President Leuthard expressed strong support for the IEA’s mandate to be the global clean energy hub, and its policy of opening its doors to emerging countries.

The IEA will soon begin an in-depth review of Switzerland’s energy policies, a timely and strategic opportunity to consider how the IEA can support the Swiss government’s implementation of its national energy strategy. This support includes multi-lateral efforts such as the 21 IEA Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs) that Switzerland already participates in.

During his visit to Berne for the meeting, Dr Birol also gave a keynote presentation on the IEA’s energy technology work, highlighting scenarios for the energy transition. The speech before an audience of about 100 people focused on key findings from the 2017 edition of the IEA publication “Energy Technology Perspectives”.