Updated: 01/14/2013 04:07 | By Channel NewsAsia

Vivian Balakrishnan to attend energy and water summits in Abu Dhabi

SINGAPORE: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, will be in Abu Dhabi from January 14—15 to attend three summits.

The first summit is the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The others are the World Future Energy Summit and the International Water Summit.

IRENA was officially established in 2009 as an inter—governmental organisation to promote the use of renewable energy.

A statement from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said that Singapore is keen to cooperate with IRENA and its members to promote the development and use of renewable energy.

Singapore hopes to complete its application process to formally become a member of IRENA.

At the World Future Energy Summit, Dr Balakrishnan will speak at the joint Ministerial panel on the topic of "The Future of the Water—Energy Nexus post—Rio".