New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday congratulated UAE Minister Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber on being appointed as the President-designate for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28).
Al Jaber’s appointment came under the directive of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential court, especially at a time when the world is dealing with difficulties related to energy, food, and water security.
“Congratulations Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry & Advanced Technology, UAE on becoming @cop28president.Your comprehensive experience of energy & climate change bodes well for a successful COP28. Let us synergize our endeavors at G20 and COP28,” Jaishankar tweeted.
Notably, Al Jaber is Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), has served as Special Envoy for Climate Change for two terms (2010-2016, 2020-present), and played a proactive participatory role at over ten COPs, including the historic Paris COP21 in 2015.
The announcement by UAE highlights the UAE’s leadership in climate action in the area and its function as a global proponent of renewable energy.
The UAE has spent more than USD 50 billion in renewable energy projects across 70 nations, with plans to invest at least another USD 50 billion over the next ten years. It is home to three of the largest and most affordable solar installations in the world, the state media agency, state media agency, WAM reported.
Following the official announcement of the UAE as the host of COP28, a National Higher Committee was formed on June 23, 2022, to oversee preparations for the conference. The Committee is chaired by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and includes senior officials from several authorities, according to WAM.
Shamma Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Razan Al Mubarak, the President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will join Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber’s COP28 UAE team as the Youth Climate Champion and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion.
The UAE will host the annual climate summit at Expo City, Dubai, from November 30-December 12, 2023, the official statement of the state media agency WAM read.