UAE Fosters Collaboration with Pakistan in Renewable Energy Sector: Dr Sultan

• President of COP28, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Meets Pakistan PM
• Pakistan’s full support to the UAE for COP28: PM
• UAE to further improve collaboration with Pakistan in the renewable energy sector: Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber
• Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber’s fruitful visit to Pakistan was aimed at fostering climate resilience: Senator Sherry Rehman

ISLAMABAD: To strengthen Pakistan’s capacity towards green transition, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of renewable energy projects in the country striving to stand against climate crisis.

The signing ceremony of green cooperation was witnessed by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the President of COP28, UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister for Industries and Technologies, and other officials, according state media.

From Pakistan side, Power Division Secretary, Rashid Mahmood Langrial and the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure Undersecretary, Sharif al Olama, signed on behalf of their respective sides.

The prime minister, while talking to Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, who along with a high-level delegation called on him, appreciated the UAE efforts in combating climate change and developing renewable energy projects.

The prime minister also extended Pakistan’s full support to the UAE for COP28. The UAE will host upcoming 2023 UN Climate Conference (COP28).

Welcoming Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the prime minister underscored the importance of high-level exchanges and felicitated him on his appointment as president-designate COP28.

He expressed full confidence in Dr Jaber’s stewardship of this important global conference. He conveyed best wishes to the leadership of UAE for the success of the event, which is scheduled to be held from Nov 30 to Dec 12 this year in Dubai.

The prime minister thanked the UAE for its vital support to Pakistan, which has been critical in reaching staff-level agreement with the IMF.

He also thanked the UAE for its support during last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif also briefed the delegation about the Special Investment Facilitation Council aimed at providing facilitation to foreign investors in diverse sectors.

He also shared details of the 10,000 MW solar energy projects for which a road show was already held in Dubai.

The UAE minister emphasized the UAE’s leadership directions to him to further improve collaboration with Pakistan in the renewable energy sector that will help boost energy security for Pakistan.

The visiting dignitary underscored that they view Pakistan as an important partner in climate change discourse and appreciated Islamabad’s active role in climate change diplomacy.

Senator Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, “We want an action COP as time is running out, and the clock is ticking. 2030 is the defining decade for us. We are encouraged by the prioritization of “leaving no one behind” and we are your partners in building the platform for a global inclusive future,”

Minister for Climate Change further said “This fruitful high-level visit built common ground with the UAE and its COP28 Presidency on ‘s key programs and initiatives, aimed at fostering climate resilience, environmental protection, reducing emissions and enabling a just energy transition”.

Adaptation, mitigation, loss & damage, financing goals took front and centre in our discussion, she added۔

Minister for Climate Change also emphasized the following expectations from COP28:

1) Pakistan seeks a transformative global re-set at COP, igniting resourcing momentum for both existing and new goals. The gap between action and ambition must be bridged now. We are off track for the 1.5 goal set at Paris and we are off track on funding pledges. This must change.

2) an inclusive process to ensure no one is left behind, so that climate crisis does not become a defining experience for entire countries in the new arc of climate vulnerability.

3) Urged for a revamp of financial systems, so that climate funding is scaled up, with new and additional sources of capital and tech capacity, also to include pvt sector as a partner in financing and capacity-building for adaptive resilience and mitigation efforts.

With time running out, there is much to roll out, much more to negotiate and much to rebuild.

As Pakistan stands on frontline of climate crisis, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the President of COP28 and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, arrived in Islamabad on Thursday to boost coordination and collaboration for the upcoming COP28 to be held from November 30th to December 12th, 2023, at the Expo City, Dubai, the UAE.

By: M.A

Email: VOW2025@Gmail.com