UN explore opportunities for joint cooperation in climate action

A senior UAE delegation met Selwin Charles Hart, the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team, on the sidelines of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), to discuss opportunities for joint cooperation and partnership in best practices on government experience exchange, global climate action and sustainable development as the UAE is gearing up to host COP28.

Led by Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, and Vice-Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28, the UAE delegation presented the country’s development success story and national efforts to achieve a comprehensive, sustainable socio-economic development and accelerate the delivery of the SDGs.

The delegation highlighted the UAE’s strategic initiatives in various aspects of development including government work, capacity building and exchange of expertise and visions.

The meeting also included a presentation by Lootah on the UAE’s Government Experience Exchange Programme (GEEP), which serves as a catalyst for developing global partnerships. GEEP is designed to foster collaboration between the UAE government and other member countries by facilitating the exchange of best practices and experiences in key areas. To date, GEEP has successfully enriched the lives of one billion people in over 30 countries, encompassing areas such as Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

The UAE officials explained to the UN official achievements made so far during the Year of Sustainability, the UAE Net Zero strategic initiative to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and the key themes and agenda of COP28.

The two sides also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the UAE and the United Nations in current and future international initiatives that maximise the positive and sustainable impact of climate action around the world, especially in countries, societies and economies most affected by the repercussions of climate change.

Since its establishment in 2012, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) has served as the primary platform for the UN to discuss progress on the SDGs and has played a central role in monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This year, the forum is held under the theme of “Accelerating the Recovery from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all Levels”.