CAPE TOWN, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2025) The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), participated in the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting in South Africa. Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, headed the UAE delegation to the meeting.
Al Olama underscored the UAE’s support for the priorities of the G20 Presidency aimed at achieving a safe, inclusive, and sustainable energy transition. He highlighted the UAE’s commitment to enhancing global energy security and accelerating the shift toward clean energy sources that drive sustainable development.
“Energy security is the foundation of global stability and prosperity. In the UAE, we regard it not just as diversification but as resilience, based on innovation, coordinated planning, and inclusivity," he said.
Al Olama explained that through investments in smart grids, electrification, and decentralised systems, the UAE have achieved 100 percent access to electricity under SDG 7, while ranking first globally in access to clean cooking. "Our Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, now supplying up to 25 percent of the country's electricity, exemplifies the essential role of peaceful nuclear technology in ensuring energy security and lowering emissions.”
He added, “Similarly, the water-energy nexus is at the core of climate resilience. The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative reflects our belief that cross-sector innovation is essential for securing water and energy futures. In this spirit, I warmly invite all partners to join us at the UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in 2026, to promote collective, solutions-oriented action.”
Al Olama noted that the UAE welcomes the G20 High-Level Voluntary Principles for Sustainable Industrialisation Hubs and commends the Presidency’s focus on hydrogen and its derivatives as drivers of low-carbon growth.
He said, “Our National Hydrogen Strategy 2050 aims to establish the UAE as a top producer and exporter of low-emission hydrogen and ammonia, backed by innovation, strong financing, and resilient supply chains. But energy transition must also be efficient, not just clean. That is why we established the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA), a government-backed, implementation-focused coalition aimed at turning pledges into concrete progress."
Through GEEA, the UAE aims to support at least 15 countries by the year 2030, mobilise US$75 million in efficiency financing, and help deliver measurable reductions in energy intensity, because efficiency remains the single most cost-effective tool to accelerate access, reduce emissions, and stimulate growth
He added, “The UAE firmly endorses the Presidency’s vision for African energy interconnectivity. Regional cooperation is essential, not just an aspiration. Drawing on our own GCC interconnection experience and global initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), we are dedicated to sharing technical expertise, innovative financing, and investment in clean infrastructure to help build resilient energy networks across Africa.”
