Women in Renewables Dubai Dialogue Event by WiRA

The pivotal Women in Renewables Dubai Dialogue event, which took place on the 3rd of December 2023 as a side event of COP28, served as a platform for women’s organizations in sustainable energy from various continents to unite and strengthen their collective efforts. The Women in Renewables Alliance (WiRA), Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE), GWNET: Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, and Diversity Champions (led by Ms. Eng Nawal Alhanaee) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Pledge for Industry Diversity and Inclusion at COP28.

The MoU is dedicated to fostering a more diverse and inclusive clean energy sector and represents a collective commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, supported by Women Energize Women global initiative. The MoU recognizes the energy sector’s role in a sustainable and equitable future, acknowledges women’s untapped potential in driving innovation and envisions more inclusive and innovative tomorrow.

At the WiRA event Mrs. Joanna Osawe – President & CEO of Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) - moderated the following panel “A Gender-Inclusive Net Zero Transition: What’s It and What’s Next?” The panelists included Ms. Adriana Reais Pinto, International Policy Expert for Energy & Board Member Águas do Tejo Atlântico, Águas de Portugal; Mai Abdelhalim, President of GE Vernova Africa; Eng. Faiza Mohamed AL Harthi Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Head, Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up: Milena Messori, Acting Director of Corporate Finance & Global Activities Department, European Investment Bank; and Maria Persson Gulda, CTO of H2GreenSteel. Ms. Selen İnal – Co-Lead of WiRE Türkiye Chapter - attended the event as well and she had the privilege of meeting new colleagues from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Canada.

We are stronger together. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver on the MoU and continue pushing the dial forward on DEI within the industry and beyond.