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Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), has received back-to-back state honors in Europe. In the past week, Birol was decorated with the Order of Prince Henry in Portugal and Belgium’s highest honor, the Order of Leopold, presented personally by King Philippe at a ceremony in the Royal Palace in Brussels.
The recognition follows a series of prestigious awards Birol has collected over the past year. Earlier in 2023, he received national orders of merit from Italy and Lithuania, while last year, both South Korea and the United Arab Emirates honored him with state awards.
Speaking after the Brussels ceremony, Birol dedicated the honor to his late father, his mother, his family, and colleagues. “This award is a source of pride for myself, my family, and my country. It carries no material value, but when dealing with such difficult global challenges, it provides great moral encouragement,” he said.
Belgium’s decision to grant him its most prestigious order was attributed to his leadership in steering global energy markets, his role in promoting international cooperation on climate change, and his consistent advocacy for Africa’s energy development.
The Brussels ceremony was attended by Belgian ministers, members of parliament, E.U. commissioners, ambassadors, and a delegation from Türkiye, including Ankara’s ambassador to Brussels, Baris Tantekin, business leaders, and international executives.
Born in Türkiye, Fatih Birol has led the Paris-based IEA since 2015, guiding the organization through a turbulent period in global energy. Under Birol's leadership, the agency has emphasized the twin challenges of energy security and sustainability—issues that have become even more pressing amid geopolitical shocks, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the accelerating shift to clean energy.
In a discussion following the ceremony, Birol highlighted how Türkiye is strengthening its own energy security. He pointed to three main developments: the rapid growth of renewable power, new steps toward building nuclear plants in partnership with international partners, and diversification in natural gas supply.
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