IEA countries account for just under half of the world’s energy consumption, and all countries participate in global markets, so emerging economies increasingly are confronting the same energy challenges as developed nations. Since the 1980s, IEA has focused on engagement worldwide to include countries beyond its membership, in particular with major energy consuming, producing and transit countries including the accession candidates Chile and Mexico; the Association countries China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Singapore; and such key partner countries as Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

Co-operation with these and other countries covers a wide range of activities, among them:

• jointly holding topical workshops on specific topics such as emergency response policies, energy efficiency and energy market regulation
• co-operating on in-depth surveys of specific energy sectors in partner countries, or their preparedness for major disruptions to oil and gas supplies.
• helping experts and organisations from 20 partner countries join the IEA network of Technology Collaboration Programmes and the International Low-Carbon Technology Platform.
• holding training and capacity-building activities to spread best practices in energy policy and energy statistics.

The IEA also co-operates with the other international organisations and forums that work in the field of energy. It plays an active role in discussions with producer countries and with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), particularly within the International Energy Forum (IEF). On statistics, the IEA is a founding partner of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI). In addition, the IEA works closely with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The IEA also supports energy-related work of the Group of 20, the Group of Seven and the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).

IEA engagement with Association, accession and partner countries as well as other international organisations is an integral part of the Agency’s efforts to provide all stakeholders – from policy makers to business leaders – with a truly international view of the world’s energy system.