NEW DELHI: S Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs, Government of India congratulated Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advance Technology (MoIAT), United Arab Emirate (UAE), on becoming President of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) which will take place in UAE.
Minister Al Jaber has been appointed President as per the directive of the President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Minister of the Presidential court.
Al Jaber has also served as Special Envoy for Climate Change twice. His first term began in 2010 and concluded in 2016, while his current and second term began in 2020. Apart from that, the UAE minister has proactively participated in over ten COPs, including COP21 in 2015, also known as the Paris Climate Deal.
The announcement by gulf country highlights its leadership role in climate action along with promoting renewable energy on the global stage. UAE has sponsored projects worth $50 billion across 70 nations and is planning to invest another $50 billion in the coming decade. The state media agency Emirates News Agency also known as WAM, reported that the country is home to three largest and most affordable solar installations in the world.
Earlier, when it was decided that UAE will host COP28, gulf country formed a National Higher Committee on June 23, 2022. The committee, chaired by H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was mandated to oversee the preparation of the COP28 event. WAM reported that UAE will host the annual climate summit at Expo City, Dubai, from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
Apart from Minister Al Jaber Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will also join the UAE’S COP28 team as Youth Climate Champion and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion.