UAE's Abdulla Balalaa Advocates For Climate Action And Water Diplomacy At Sagarmatha Sambaad Forum
Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, attended the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad Forum in Kathmandu, Nepal. The event, themed "Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity," was opened by Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. This forum, named after Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), aimed to foster global discussions on climate change and mountain ecosystems.
The UAE's commitment to inclusive climate diplomacy was a key focus during Balalaa's remarks at the plenary session. He emphasised the UAE's role in operationalising the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) at COP28 in Expo City Dubai. The UAE pledged US$100 million to this fund, highlighting the importance of investing in regions vulnerable to climate change.
Balalaa underscored the UAE's efforts as co-host of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference with Senegal. This conference aims to unite desert, coastal, and mountain nations under a shared agenda for water and climate action. He reiterated the UAE's dedication to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), advocating for partnerships across ecosystems.
On the sidelines of the forum, Balalaa engaged in bilateral meetings with senior Nepalese officials. These discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in trade and economic fields. They also explored potential renewable energy investments in Nepal, forest conservation, biodiversity, carbon markets, and ecotourism.
Balalaa met with Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dipak Khadijah, Minister of Energy; Water Resources and Irrigation; and Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, Minister of Forests and Environment. These meetings aimed at deepening cooperation on climate issues ahead of COP30 and the 2026 UN Water Conference.
A discussion with Sharmeen Soneya Murshid from Bangladesh highlighted support for UAE-Senegal 2026 UN Water Conference. Murshid praised UAE’s leadership in global water diplomacy and stressed the need for mountain-to-delta water security cooperation.
UAE's Global Climate Leadership
The UAE’s participation in Sagarmatha Sambaad reflects its strategic ambition to strengthen multilateral ties across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The focus is particularly on ecological vulnerability areas where opportunities exist for collaboration.
The UAE continues to reinforce its role as a leader in clean energy through active participation at high-level conferences. Its approach includes promoting water diplomacy and fostering inclusive international cooperation.
With inputs from WAM
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