Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, completed a productive two-day visit to Brussels, from March 6-7, to meet with senior officials and stakeholders in the energy and water sectors.
The visit underscored the UAE's commitment to advancing its collaboration with the European Union (EU) in key areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water resilience.
Balalaa’s meetings came on the heels of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference (UNWC26) Organisational Session in New York and coincided with the EU’s Ocean Days. During his visit, he was invited to participate in the EU’s consultative process on reviewing the EU’s water resilience strategy.
At the consultative session, Balalaa emphasized the UAE’s priorities for the 2026 UNWC and urged the international community to contribute to scalable and inclusive solutions for global water challenges. He also highlighted the UAE's ongoing commitment to advancing climate action, energy transition, and water resilience in collaboration with the EU, aligning efforts made during the COP28 conference in Dubai with future global sustainability goals.
The discussions also involved strengthening ties with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to explore investment opportunities in clean energy, infrastructure, and water sustainability. Balalaa met with several EU officials, including Ditte Juul-Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy, and Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General for Climate Action, to reinforce the UAE's role in driving global climate adaptation and sustainability initiatives.
The visit set the stage for increased cooperation ahead of pivotal international events such as the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in France and the 2026 UN Water Conference.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
