UAE and Maldives Explore Enhanced Energy Partnership Through Strategic Roundtable
The UAE Embassy in Malé has convened high-level discussions to advance bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, sustainability and infrastructure development.
The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the Republic of Maldives has organised a virtual roundtable with the Maldives’ Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy to examine opportunities for deepening collaboration across the energy sector.
Led by Heba Aljneibi, Chargé d’Affaires at the UAE Embassy in the Maldives, the delegation included representatives from Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Global South Utilities (GSU). The Maldivian contingent was headed by Mohamed Faiz, Minister of State for Climate Change, Environment and Energy, alongside senior ministry officials and representatives of the State Electric Company Ltd (STELCO).
In her opening remarks, Aljneibi underscored the UAE’s steadfast commitment to renewable energy expansion and its determination to strengthen ties with the Maldives, whilst acknowledging the distinctive challenges confronting island nations. She outlined the UAE’s renewable energy objectives under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and highlighted the significance of the UAE Consensus, an historic accord reached at COP28 in Dubai in 2023 that united 198 parties behind enhanced climate action.
The Chargé d’Affaires drew particular attention to ALTÉRRA, a US$30 billion climate finance initiative, and Masdar’s ambitious global trajectory toward achieving 100 gigawatts of clean energy capacity by 2030.
Aljneibi reiterated that bilateral relations rest upon foundations of friendship, mutual respect and common purpose, with the UAE remaining resolute in its aspiration to deepen partnership with the Maldives in the renewable energy domain.
The substantive discussions encompassed electricity grid modernisation, intelligent grid infrastructure, battery energy storage technologies, and strategies to reduce diesel dependency. Participants examined desalination initiatives across 40 islands, water and sewerage network development, renewable energy integration, and the establishment of regional waste-to-energy facilities. The forum also addressed training initiatives, capacity building programmes and mechanisms for knowledge exchange between the two nations.
The roundtable provided an opportunity to review the Maldives’ existing and forthcoming projects whilst identifying additional avenues for collaborative advancement.
Source: WAM