BALI, INDONESIA – A senior UAE official said that his country is committed to collaborating with the international community to confront challenges facing the global energy sector.
Sharif Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said the aim is to develop the energy sector and realize international stability.
“The UAE is keen to continue its efforts to develop the energy sector, especially the clean energy, and invest in the future through a realistic vision that drives global prosperity,” Al Olma told the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting in Bali under Indonesia’s first G20 Presidency on Friday.
The theme of Indonesia’s G20 chairmanship is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger”.
“We in the UAE are keen to maintain constructive cooperation and engagement with our international partners to obtain the proper energy mix in alignment with environment protection objectives and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions,” he said.
“The UAE is ready to share its experiences in clean energy sector and work together with regional and international partners to entrench its position in the industry and get ready for the next 50 years as it considers this sector a vital enabler and driver for sustainable development and a major attraction for foreign investment,” he added.
The UAE is at the forefront in efforts of energy diversification and adoption of sustainability-driven technology to achieve climate neutrality as a key priority for the government, the undersecretary said.
The UAE has launched many initiatives and projects to support this trend, he added.
During the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting, G20 Energy Ministers and major international energy organizations discussed key issues facing the sector.
These include progress in implementation of the G20 Energy Transition Action Plan, the G20 Presidency Road Map, securing energy access, scaling up energy technologies, advancing energy financing and laying the path toward net-zero emissions (NZEs) or carbon neutrality.
Al Olma met separately with Rob Jetten, Minister for Climate and Energy Policy of the Netherlands, and David Turk, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy, to discuss prospects for joint cooperation in sustainable development and preparations for 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) which the UAE will host in 2023.