Sheikh Abdullah shed light on the importance of strengthening multilateral action and the UAE’s directive towards the most prominent items of the global agenda, especially in light of the country’s hosting COP28…reports Asian Lite News
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has led a high-level delegation to India in response to the invitation the UAE received to take part in the G20 meetings as a guest country.
During his participation in the two-day meeting, Sheikh Abdullah highlighted the significance of the G20 meetings – chaired by the Republic of India – in promoting international cooperation and multilateral action towards many pressing issues that are a priority in all development plans to achieve sustainable economic prosperity.
Sheikh Abdullah commended the well-established strategic and historical relations between the UAE and India, highlighting the UAE’s firm support for the Indian G20 Presidency. He noted that the UAE and India had achieved many outstanding accomplishments thanks to their comprehensive strategic partnership.
He also thanked India for organising the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, expressing his wishes for success during India’s presidency of the G20.
The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting included two main sessions. The first is about multilateralism – food, energy, security, and development cooperation.
During the session, Sheikh Abdullah shed light on the importance of strengthening multilateral action and the UAE’s directive towards the most prominent items of the global agenda, especially in light of the country’s hosting COP28 this year.
The second session focused on new and emerging threats, including counter-terrorism and narcotics, global skill mapping, and focus on global talent pools.
The meetings were attended by Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State, and Abdul Nasser Al Shaali, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of India.
Met PM Modi
Sheikh Abdullah has met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The Indian Prime Minister hosted a reception for foreign ministers of countries participating in the G20 meetings held in India on 1st-2nd March.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed conveyed the greetings of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to Prime Minister Modi, and their wishes of progress and prosperity for India.
For his part, Prime Minister Modi reciprocated the greetings to the Emirati leaders, wishing the UAE further progress and prosperity.
Sheikh Abdullah highlighted the depth of the historical UAE-India ties, noting that their comprehensive strategic partnership has yielded many developmental achievements that support their vision to achieve sustainable economic prosperity.
He also reaffirmed the UAE’s support of India’s presidency of G20, pointing out that it is an ideal opportunity to enhance multilateral action and establish a sustainable model for constructive international cooperation on a number of important issues, including combating climate change, reforming multilateral institutions, empowering women, renewable energy, and promoting sustainable economic growth.
Exceptional time
The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting comes at an exceptional time, as the international arena is witnessing unprecedented challenges at the political, economic and environmental levels, foremost of which are climate challenges, the risks of energy and food supplies, and the significant growth in the indebtedness of developing and least developed countries.
This is the second year in a row that the UAE is participating in G20 as a guest country. The first participation was in 2011, also as a guest country, but while chairing the Gulf Cooperation Council at the time, it was the French presidency.
Then it was the Saudi Arabian presidency (in 2020), and the UAE was chairing the GCC side. Last year with Indonesia and this year with India, the UAE was invited as a guest country.
Met with counterparts
Sheikh Abdullah held separate meetings with a number of foreign ministers of countries participating in the G20 meetings held in India.
He met with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; James Cleverly, UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs; Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic; and Mauro Vieira, Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Abdullah discussed with his counterparts the UAE’s bilateral relations with their countries and a number of topics on the G20 agenda, including food and energy security, multilateral action, cooperation and development, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
During the meetings, Sheikh Abdullah stressed the importance of India’s G20 meetings in promoting multipartite action and international cooperation in order to formulate solutions to many challenges facing the world.
The meeting also explored a number of important files related to sustainable development trajectories, such as food security and combatting climate change.