NEW YORK, 11th March, 2023 (WAM) — Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and COP28 UAE President-Designate, concluded his visit to the United States by meeting Secretary General António Guterres and holding close consultations with other key climate stakeholders at the United Nations.
During his meeting with the Secretary-General, Dr. Al Jaber underscored the UAE’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the UN on climate action ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will take place in Dubai from 30th November to 12th December 2023. From his side, the Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for the cooperation of the UAE’s COP Presidency and accepted the President-Designate's invitation to attend COP28 in the UAE.
Dr. Al Jaber also outlined the UAE’s key COP28 priorities across mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, climate finance, and process innovation.
In this regard, the two sides discussed the urgent need to close the financing gap and to keep alive the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC.
Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, attended the meeting and underscored that the agendas and outcomes of the work of the UN General Assembly and COP28 should be mutually reinforcing and aligned.
Dr. Al Jaber also met Csaba Kőrösi, President of the UN General Assembly. The COP28 President-Designate highlighted the UAE’s intention to work closely with Member States to deliver a COP28 for all – one that is inclusive of diverse stakeholders, accountable for commitments, and actionable on solutions.
Underscoring this commitment, Dr. Al Jaber briefed the Permanent Representatives of the European Union Member States on progress towards COP28 and potential areas of cooperation.
In a meeting with Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, Dr. Al Jaber noted the importance of addressing the needs and priorities of children and young people at COP28.
In addition, Dr. Al Jaber met with Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme, to discuss how COP28 UAE will prioritise fragile and vulnerable communities affected most by the impacts of climate change.
Dr. Al Jaber also met with Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and discussed how COP28 will put gender equality at the heart of climate action and the entire COP process.
The meeting was also attended by Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of State, and Lana Nusseibeh, Ambassador and UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
On the sidelines of the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), Dr. Al Jaber delivered keynote remarks at a high-level meeting to affirm the centrality of gender equality in ensuring a just energy transition and enhancing the effectiveness of climate finance.
The event was organised in partnership with the UAE Mission to the UN, UN Women, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. In his remarks, the COP28 President-Designate called on parties to identify ambitious gender deliverables for COP28 UAE.
“We want COP28 to be a COP of action, a COP of impact, a COP for all, and a COP of transformational progress. There is no way to achieve any of this vision without a fully inclusive approach that empowers all stakeholders to fully participate in the process and puts gender equality front and centre,” said Dr. Al Jaber. “Women’s leadership and full, equal, and meaningful participation is essential to our collective success.”