The United Arab Emirates is interested in making investments in the energy sector of Bangladesh, particularly renewable energy, said a visiting minister of the oil-rich Gulf country on Thursday.

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber expressed this eagerness during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban.

“They are very interested in the energy sector, especially renewable energy alongside conventional energy,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said while briefing reporters after the meeting.

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Dr Ahmed, also the chairman of ‘Masdar’ (an energy company) and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), said that they will send two teams to Bangladesh from UAE -- one is to discuss renewable energy and another one to discuss business.

During the meeting, mainly the climate change and bilateral issues including economic cooperation were discussed, said the press secretary.

Ahmed, also the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and President-Designate for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) praised the leadership of PM Hasina on the climate change issue and expected her further support on this issue.

He sought support from the prime minister on climate change and food security issues. “We want to be a game changer,” he said, adding that they are exerting pressure on collection of climate funds to solve the problem before the COP28.

Noting that UAE is going green, the minister said they want to get a positive impact from the COP28 in the UAE.

Read: UAE assures technical, consultative support for development of Bangladesh's aviation industry

The prime minister said the COP28 is of crucial importance since it will involve a global stocktake of the Paris Agreement.

“We hope the UAE presidency will help make a realistic assessment of the progress made and the huge gaps that remain to accelerate climate actions globally to maintain the 1.5 degree temperature,” she said.

Talking about the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and UAE, the PM said “We’ve many things in common.”

PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, PM’s ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Environment Secretary Farhina Ahmed and UAE ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Ali Al Hamoudi were present.

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