Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, appointed President of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), affirmed that the UAE leadership’s vision and guidelines focus on multilateral action, particularly the inclusion of the countries of the Global South, to achieve success in addressing global economic challenges.
This came during Al Jaber’s visit to Dhaka, where he met Sheikh Hasina Wajet, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and conveyed to her the greetings of the leadership in the UAE and its keenness to enhance cooperation between the two allies.
The visit comes within the framework of Al-Jaber’s ongoing discussions with world leaders to ensure concrete and effective progress during COP28 and to continue sharing the pillars of the Conference’s agenda with all parties and stakeholders. Last week, during his speech at the ministerial meeting on climate action in Brussels, the COP28 action plan was based on four pillars: accelerating responsible, rational, practical and equitable change in the energy sector, developing climate finance mechanisms, and focusing on the full protection of people, lives and livelihoods.
The President of COP28 and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate and act constructively to protect communities most affected by the impacts of climate change in preparation for COP28. Forum of Climate Change Vulnerable Countries – As a former chair of the Vulnerable Group of Twenty, a global forum dedicated to supporting economies most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, Sheikh Hasina Wajed confirmed her interest. He praised the efforts of the Conference-of-the-Parties-designate to put food systems at the center of climate discussions.
The creation of climate finance, international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, attracting more private capital and meeting the $100 billion climate finance pledge by donor countries and implementing a loss and damage fund and its financing arrangements were also discussed.
Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber praised Sheikh Hasina’s role in leading efforts to strengthen food systems and agricultural innovation, stressing that Bangladesh provides an excellent model for adapting to the consequences of climate change. Wajed agreed to take on the task of supporting the COP28 agenda in the food sector and stressed the need to achieve change in food systems and promote agricultural innovation to achieve sustainable development.
Sheikh Hasina said: “I welcome COP28’s focus on protecting lives and livelihoods, putting people at the center of climate action by focusing particularly on strengthening food systems. I hope COP28 can make a sober assessment of progress and address remaining gaps in climate finance mechanisms and technology sharing. He added: “As a pioneer in protecting the communities most affected by the consequences of climate change, COP28, the distinguished Dr.
The COP28 chair-designate called for Bangladesh to continue to share innovative climate solutions such as renewable energy targets and disaster preparedness initiatives with other countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
After the meeting, Al-Jaber said, “Bangladesh realizes the urgent need to address climate change due to extreme conditions including heat waves and floods. Although Bangladesh contributes only 0.25% of total global emissions, its target of achieving 40% clean energy in its energy mix by 2040 confirms its leading and responsible role in addressing climate change. Internationally, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to support communities most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. He appreciated the determined and effective work done by K Hasina Wajed and expressed his pleasure in working with her to promote climate, social and economic solutions.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh expressed his country’s full support for the COP28 Presidency and his confidence in the President-designate of the Conference as a key supporter of multilateral climate action.
Sultan Al-Jaber, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. During the meeting, he emphasized the need to secure the possibility of achieving the goal of avoiding global temperature rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius. During the visit, Al-Jaber met with the Prime Minister’s Envoy for Climate Action, Sabir Hussain Chowdhury, and also met with students of the Dhaka Model Residential College. Al-Jaber visited Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he met Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Shahriar Alam.
• Sultan Al-Jaber and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh have called for putting the most vulnerable communities at the center of climate action.
