Abu Dhabi:The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the Republic of Maldives, together with the Maldives' Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, organized a virtual roundtable to discuss potential cooperation in the energy sector.

According to Emirates News Agency, the UAE delegation was led by Heba Aljneibi, Chargé d'Affaires at the UAE Embassy in the Maldives, and included representatives from Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Global South Utilities. The Maldivian delegation was headed by Mohamed Faiz, Minister of State for Climate Change, Environment and Energy, with senior ministry officials and representatives from the State Electric Company Ltd (STELCO).

Aljneibi emphasized the UAE’s dedication to renewable energy and its willingness to collaborate with the Maldives, acknowledging the specific challenges faced by island nations. She detailed the UAE’s commitments under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and highlighted the UAE Consensus reached at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, which saw an agreement by 198 Parties to advance climate action. Aljneibi also mentioned the launch of ALTÉRRA, a $30 billion fund aimed at financing climate solutions, and Masdar's goal to achieve 100 gigawatts of clean energy capacity by 2030.

The discussions at the roundtable addressed several topics, including modernizing electricity grids, developing smart grids, enhancing battery energy storage, and reducing dependency on diesel. Participants also explored desalination projects across 40 islands, the development of water and sewerage networks, the integration of renewable energy, and the establishment of regional waste-to-energy facilities. Additionally, the event provided a platform for training, capacity building, and knowledge exchange.

The roundtable allowed for a review of the Maldives' existing and planned projects and identified potential areas for increased cooperation between the two nations.