March 2010

Desert power initiative “Dii” appoints Prof. Klaus Töpfer as its strategic advisor

Munich Re has welcomed the appointment of Prof. Klaus Töpfer as strategic advisor to the desert power initiative Dii GmbH, hailing it as an important step. “Prof. Töpfer offers all of the qualities we need at Dii to realise the desert power vision. He is a highly experienced politician and extremely well connected at international level. As long-time Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with its headquarters in Nairobi, he spent many years in Africa and thus brings a high degree of credibility and independence to the Dii. All of this will be instrumental in dealing with one of the greatest challenges facing the Desertec vision: getting the countries of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EUMENA) into one boat in order to facilitate the regulatory framework for investment in the Desertec project”, said Torsten Jeworrek, member of Munich Re’s Board of Management who coordinated the selection of the strategic advisor for Dii’s partner undertakings and led the negotiations with Prof. Töpfer.

At the initiative of Munich Re, the 12 industrial partners and the Desertec Foundation set up the Dii GmbH in October 2009. Prof. Töpfer has been appointed to advise the Dii GmbH on strategic issues. His activities will focus on political and social questions, with a view to realising the desert power vision to the benefit of all participants in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.