UAE-BRICS partnership centres on sustainable development, economic ties
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)The UAE has been a proactive partner within the BRICS framework, advancing ambitious environmental and sustainable development goals alongside its deepening economic ties.During the BRICS Business Forum held on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi highlighted the UAE's deep economic and environmental cooperation with the bloc, naming renewable energy, agriculture, and logistics among priority sectors.The UAE, through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, committed approximately $400 million in 2021 to the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) platform, which mobilises funding to accelerate clean energy transitions in emerging economies.That same year, the UAE had joined the BRICS-backed New Development Bank, formally enabling it to co-finance sustainable infrastructure projects alongside member nations.The country's environmental engagement continued to deepen in September 2024, when UAE's Minister of Climate Change and the Environment Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi attended a high-level BRICS climate dialogue in Moscow.There, she announced the UAE's pledge to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030, invest $50 billion in global clean energy projects, and lead emerging carbon market initiatives within the bloc.In March 2025, at the Second Meeting of the BRICS Committee of Senior Energy Officials in Brasília, the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the global energy transition and strengthening international cooperation to ensure energy security.Delegates highlighted the country's leadership in energy transition with investment in hydrogen, renewables, and efficiency – anchored by the historic "UAE Consensus" from COP28, which calls for tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030.Complementing multilateral engagement, in May 2025, the UAE struck a cross governmental roadmap with Russia, focused on biodiversity, waste management, forestry, and hydrometeorology.The agreement also prioritises joint initiatives to restore endangered species and foster cooperation on environmental declarations adopted at the 2024 BRICS summit.
Through these measures, the UAE continues to position itself as a key driver of sustainable development within the BRICS ecosystem.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Brazilian President urges Brics nations to lead on climate fight ahead of Cop30
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called on fellow Brics nations to usher in a new era of climate and health justice ahead of Cop30, which his country will host in Belem in November. In a speech on the final day of the Brics Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lula highlighted the urgency of global action to address inequality, climate change, and public health, and warned that the most vulnerable nations risk paying the highest price for inaction. He criticised wealthy nations and global markets for failing to deliver on promises made at last year's Cop29 in Azerbaijan to pledge at least $300 billion a year to address the impact of climate change. 'Developing countries are likely to be the most impacted by losses and damages from climate change,' Lula told Brics leaders. He said the challenge now is not just to reduce emissions but to 'build a new cycle of prosperity' that leaves no one behind. Eighty per cent of global carbon emissions, he said, are generated by fewer than 60 companies, most of them in oil and gas. 'The planet cannot afford another decade of delay,' he warned. With Cop30 on the horizon, Lula framed Brazil's presidency as a pivotal opportunity to 'place life at the centre of development.' His remarks were welcomed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, which urged Brics nations to 'step up as champions for climate justice and nature protection'. The founding Brics nations were Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The UAE was invited to join an expanded bloc in August 2023 along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and Ethiopia. The UAE joined Brics in January 2024. UAE Consensus to lead the way Lula said the UAE Consensus should be the basis for sustaining implementation actions. The agreement, made at Cop28 in Dubai, calls for 'transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner … so as to achieve net zero by 2050, in keeping with the science'. A delegation from the UAE also took part in the annual two day meeting of the board of governors of the New Development Bank of the Brics group, the state news agency Wam reported. The UAE's membership of the Brics group is part of its commitment to dialogue and multilateral co-operation to promote peace, security and development through networks that represent emerging economies on the world stage.
Gulf Today
4 hours ago
- Gulf Today
BRICS nations slam Trump tariffs, condemn strikes on Iran
BRICS leaders at a summit on Sunday took aim at US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and recent Israeli-US strikes on Iran. The 11 emerging nations -- including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- account for about half the world's population and 40 per cent of global economic output. The bloc is divided about much, but found common cause when it comes to the mercurial US leader and his stop-start tariff wars -- even if it avoided naming him directly. Voicing "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff" measures, BRICS members said the tariffs risked hurting the global economy, according to a summit joint statement. Trump fired back at the bloc directly on social media Sunday night. "Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Russia's President Vladimir Putin appears on a screen as he attends the opening meeting of BRICS Summit remotely with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. Reuters Earlier, BRICS also offered symbolic backing to fellow member Iran, condemning a series of military strikes on nuclear and other targets carried out by Israel and the United States. In April, Trump threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties, before offering a months-long reprieve in the face of a fierce market sell-off. Trump has warned he will impose unilateral levies on partners unless they reach "deals" by August 1. In an apparent concession to US allies such as Brazil, India and Saudi Arabia, the summit declaration did not criticize the United States or its president by name at any point. No show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US and western European power. But as the group has expanded to include Iran, Saudi Arabia and others, it has struggled to reach meaningful consensus on issues from the Gaza war to challenging US global dominance. BRICS nations, for example, collectively called for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict -- despite Tehran's long-standing position that Israel should be destroyed. An Iranian diplomatic source said his government's "reservations" had been conveyed to Brazilian hosts. Still, Iran -- a BRICS member since 2023 -- stopped short of rejecting the statement outright. The bloc also called for an "immediate" ceasefire and the "full withdrawal of Israeli forces" from the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with the Palestinian group Hamas for 21 months. Hamas's armed wing welcomed BRICS's position, calling on them to "exert pressure" on Israel to "lift the criminal siege imposed on two and a quarter million people." In perhaps a further sign of the diplomatic sensitivities, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister skipped Sunday's discussions entirely, according to a Brazilian government source. World leaders partake in the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. AP Saudi Arabia is among the world's leading beneficiaries of high-tech US military exports and is a long-standing US partner. The political punch of this year's summit has been depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. The Chinese leader is not the only notable absentee. Russian President Vladimir Putin, charged with war crimes in Ukraine, also opted to stay away, participating via video link. He told counterparts that BRICS had become a key player in global governance. The summit also called for regulation governing artificial intelligence and said the technology could not be the preserve of only rich nations. The commercial AI sector is currently dominated by US tech giants, although China and other nations have rapidly developing capacity. Agence France-Presse
Gulf Today
4 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Sheikh Khaled, CEO of aircraft manufacturer Embraer discuss ways to expand collaboration
His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, on the sidelines of the visit to the Federative Republic of Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. During the meeting, the two sides discussed opportunities to expand collaboration with Embraer to open new avenues for knowledge exchange and talent development in the civil aviation industry. The meeting also covered supporting research and development in aviation, adopting advanced technological solutions to enhance operational efficiency, and providing technical support for commercial aircraft maintenance services, among other industry-related areas. Founded in 1969, Embraer is the world's third-largest civil aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil. Sheikh Khaled leaves Brazil after attending the BRICS Summit. WAM Sheikh Khaled concluded a visit to Brazil leading the UAE delegation that attended the 17th BRICS Summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, on behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Sheikh Khaled expressed gratitude and appreciation for the warm reception and hospitality extended by Brazil to the UAE delegation, and conveyed best wishes for the continued progress, development and prosperity of the Federative Republic of Brazil and its people. Sheikh Khaled was accompanied by a delegation including Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Office of the Crown Prince; Maryam Eid AlMheiri, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Media Office and Advisor of Strategic Relations at the Crown Prince Court; Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic and Trade Affairs; and Saleh Ahmad Salem Alsuwaidi, Ambassador of the UAE to Brazil. WAM
