Speaker, the Portfolio Committee on Energy, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of membership of South Africa to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Irena, recommends that the House, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve this request.
The International Renewable Energy Agency was officially launched in Bonn on 26 January 2009. To date, 140 states and the European Union have signed the statute of the agency, amongst them 48 African, 37 European, 33 Asian, 15 American and 9 Australia-Oceania states. Mandated by this government worldwide, Irena will promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, acting as a global voice for renewable energies. Irena will facilitate access to all relevant renewable energy information, including technical data, economic data and renewable resource-potential data.
We hope that by passing this and also agreeing with the committee - because this was a unanimous decision by all committee members - we will be able to deal with the challenges of renewable energy in this country. Speaker, I hope that the House will agree and approve this request. Thank you. [Applause.] There was no debate.
Request for Membership of South Africa to the International Renewable Energy Agency approved.