KUWAIT: The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Kuwait, Matar Al-Nayadi, on Friday lauded the historic, deep-rooted brotherly relations with Kuwait and shed light on his country’s achievements at diverse levels. In an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) marking the UAE National Day, Ambassador Al-Nayadi said the warmness of the close and historic relations between the two countries emanates from the special care given by the two countries’ sagacious leaderships.

He underscored “the integration” between the two countries and people and continued coordination in various spheres. The high turnout at the UAE embassy ceremonial reception on the occasion has constituted evidence of Kuwait’s amicable sentiments toward the UAE and its people, the ambassador said. On Kuwait-UAE trade exchanges, ambassador Al-Nayadi said they reached, last year, approximately KD 38 million ($123.4 million), indicating that the mutual commercial exchanges had increased compared to previous years.

Regarding educational cooperation, he said that there are more than 1,500 Kuwaiti students at the UAE academies and colleges, revealing that three UAE universities have recently declared readiness to register Kuwaiti students to study medicine. Moreover, there is cooperation in the health sector, namely in human organ transplants. On tourism, he mentioned that more than 300,000 Kuwaiti citizens visited the UAE last year.

Turning to the COP28 conference on climate change that kicked off in Dubai on Thursday, he affirmed that Abu Dhabi has hosted the convention to re-affirm its advocacy of using conventional and renewable energies and support for cutting harmful emissions. The message it intends to promote at the COP28 conference is that it should be seen as a gathering for the implementation of resolutions and not merely making pledges.

Abu Dhabi, he has added, has four main goals at the conference: looking into responsible energy transfer, improving people’s lives by expanding cultivated lands, combating desertification, and upgrading states’ funding for environmental care improvement. The last objective is summarized as “no one should be left behind,” he said. Clarifying the environmental needs of communities living in secluded and remote areas such as the Amazon must be taken into consideration.

With respect to the “2023 Sustainability Year,” launched by UAE President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan early this year, Ambassador Al-Nayadi said the UAE had begun dedicating attention to environmental issues during the era of the late president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. This year’s initiative aims at stimulating various sectors to interact with environmental initiatives, spreading awareness on environmental sustainability, encouraging communities’ participation in the efforts to attain sustainable development, backing national strategies at this level, and attaining a prosperous future.

This year, the UAE “achieved” a number of projects, namely the Al-Dhafra solar energy plant with a two-gigawatt capacity, the inauguration of the fourth division of the Baraka nuclear plant, the Al-Sharjah waste plant, and signing a contract for establishing the sixth phase of the Mohammad bin Rashed solar complex with a capacity of 1,800 megawatts. He has added that the UAE considers climate change as a sphere for creating new jobs, transferring technology, and launching investments.

Moreover, the UAE has established a number of funds, namely the fund that was declared in the US with a value of $100 million to boost energy transformation in a number of countries, and pledged a contribution of $100 million during the COP28 conference. On the UAE’s efforts to cut carbon emissions, the UAE has established a special center for utilizing carbon reduction technologies and has taken care of planting mangrove that has proven useful in decreasing such emissions and rehabilitating marine life, he said, noting that Indonesia last year declared “the mangrove coalition” to encourage nations to plant it.

He lauded Kuwait’s joining the coalition last May. Elaborating, he said that the UAE embassy had planted mangroves in Kuwait in cooperation with the Environment Public Authority. Re-touching on Abu Dhabi’s nuclear project, he said the venture has entered the commercial phase, securing up to 20 percent of the UAE’s electric power. It has also been linked up with the GCC power grid, he added. He gave credit for the UAE space endeavors to inspiration from the late president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. “We continue to explore future opportunities, and there are many of them.”

Amir congratulates the UAE

Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable to the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, expressing sincere congratulations on the 52nd anniversary of the UAE national day. His Highness the Amir hailed the civil and development achievements the UAE has witnessed in all fields and at all levels, especially in the economic, educational, and cultural sectors.

This has reflected on the UAE’s prestigious status in the regional and international arenas. His Highness the Amir praised the brotherly and friendly, deep-rooted relations between the two countries, stressing the importance of boosting cooperation in all fields. He wished Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan everlasting health and wellness and his country further progress and prosperity under his wise leadership. Also, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a similar congratulatory cable to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, on the 52nd national day anniversary. — KUNA