Australian Governor General to attend solar conference

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SME Times News Bureau | 10 Mar, 2018
Governor-General of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove will arive arrive here on Saturday on a five-day visit to India, during which he will attend the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on Sunday, the Australian High Commission here said in statement on Friday.

"Australia congratulates India and France on their leadership in establishing the ISA," Australia's High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu said in the statement.

"As one of the 26 founding members of the ISA, Australia is looking forward to sharing its expertise in solar technologies and research globally. Australia's participation adds a new dimension to the already thriving Australia-India relationship," she said.

On Sunday, Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will co-chair the founding conference of the India-initiated ISA which was launched by Modi and then French President Francois Hollande during the Paris climate summit in 2015.

The ISA is conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Till Thursday, 60 countries had signed the framework agreement of the ISA and 30 submitted the instruments of ratification.

Sunday's conference will be attended by 23 of those who have submitted the instruments of ratification and 24 of those who have signed the framework agreement.

According to the High Commission statement, during the conference, Cosgrove will meet Modi and Macron.

It said that as part of a broader bilateral visit after the conference, the Governor-General will meet with business leaders in New Delhi and Chennai, address educational institutions with Australian links, view an Australian-funded aid project in Nizamuddin Basti, officially open an ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) centenary exhibition, and visit an Indian Coast Guard vessel which is playing a role in enhancing regional security.