Bridgetown, Barbados— The UAE and Barbados have discussed prospects for bolstering bilateral cooperation, particularly in climate action and renewable energy, besides looking to boost economic and trade ties between the two countries.
The subject was discussed in a meeting between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados in Barbados.
Sheikh Abdullah and Prime Minister Mottley also discussed mechanisms of joint cooperation across various sectors of economy, tourism and trade in support of efforts to achieve sustainable development.
The foreign minister informed Mottely about the UAE’s preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) and the COP28 Presidency’s key priorities for providing financing for climate activities to ensure smooth and fair transition towards clean energy.
He affirmed that sustainable development is a priority for all states and an inherent right of people and achieving it requires a paradigm shift in the course of climate action, mobilizing global efforts with the aim of reaching climate neutrality, as well as working to adopt innovative initiatives in support of this goal.
Sheikh Abdullah also affirmed the UAE’s support for the “Bridgetown” initiative, led by the Prime Minister of Barbados since COP 26, to access international financing for climate action, especially for countries most vulnerable to climate change, which will contribute to supporting their response to its repercussions, noting the importance of strengthening global efforts to address issues of international financial reform in the climate issue.
He expressed his aspiration for Barbados’ participation in COP 28, praising its pioneering initiatives in global climate action.
The two ministers took stock of a host of issues of common interest, in addition to developments at the regional and international levels.
For her part, Prime Minister Mottley expressed her confidence in the UAE’s leadership of global climate action with all competence and ability during its hosting of COP 28, praising the UAE pioneering initiatives in the renewable and clean energy sector at the global level and its distinguished and innovative strategy to achieve climate neutrality.
The meeting was attended by Saeed Mubarak Al Hajri, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic and Commercial Affairs.
Sheikh Abdullah had arrived in Barbados at the start of a tour that included a number of Latin American and Caribbean countries.
This tour comes within the framework of the UAE’s keenness to strengthen friendly relations with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to exploring available opportunities to develop the prospects for joint cooperation in all fields, especially economic and climate.
It also coincides with the UAE’s preparations to host COP 28 next November and December in Expo City Dubai, and underscores the importance of accelerating the pace of global climate action, which constitutes a key for advancing sustainable economic development paths.