Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and COP28 UAE President-Elect, concluded his visit to the United States by meeting with Secretary General António Guterres and consulting closely with other key climate stakeholders at the United Nations.
During his meeting with the Secretary-General, Dr. Al Jaber emphasized the UAE’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the UN on climate action in advance of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023. The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for the assistance of the UAE’s COP Presidency and accepted the invitation of the President-Designate to attend COP28 in the UAE.
Dr. Al Jaber also listed the United Arab Emirates’ top COP28 priorities, which include mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, climate financing, and process innovation.
In this context, the parties highlighted the urgent need to close the funding gap and maintain the objective of reducing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Ambassador Lana Nuseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, attended the conference and emphasized that the agendas and outcomes of the work of the UN General Assembly and COP28 should be synchronized and mutually reinforcing.
Dr. Al Jaber also met with UN General Assembly President Csaba Krosi. The COP28 President-Designate emphasized the UAE’s desire to collaborate closely with Member States to create a COP28 that is inclusive of diverse stakeholders, accountable for commitments, and solution-oriented.
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Dr. Al Jaber updated the Permanent Representatives of the European Union Member States on progress towards COP28 and prospective areas of cooperation, underscoring this commitment.
At a discussion with Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of UNICEF, Dr. Al Jaber emphasized the significance of addressing the needs and priorities of children and youth during COP28.
In addition, Dr. Al Jaber met with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Achim Steiner, to explore how COP28 UAE will prioritize fragile and vulnerable populations most impacted by the effects of climate change.
Dr. Al Jaber also met with the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, to discuss how COP28 will place gender equality at the center of climate action and the entire COP process.
Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of State, and Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, also attended the meeting.
Dr. Al Jaber delivered the keynote address at a high-level meeting held in conjunction with the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) to highlight the relevance of gender equality in ensuring an equitable energy transition and boosting the efficiency of climate finance.
The program was organized in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Mission to the United Nations, UN Women, and the Georgetown Center for Women, Peace, and Security. In his remarks, the President-Designate of COP28 urged parties to define ambitious gender-related outcomes for COP28 UAE.
“We want COP28 to be a COP of action, of impact, of progress for all, and of transformational change. Dr. Al Jaber stated that it is impossible to realize any of this vision without a strategy that empowers all stakeholders to fully engage in the process and prioritizes gender equality. Our common achievement depends on the leadership and full, equal, and significant participation of women.”
