Green summit to focus on global partnerships

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer and other officials at the Press conference in Dubai. — Supplied photo

Dubai: The World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2015, will be held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for the second year under the theme ‘Global partnerships, sustainable future’.

The summit will focus on the transformation towards global green economies and will strengthen Dubai’s position as The Capital of the Green Economy and Sustainable Development. The event was announced by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), at a Press conference in Dubai, where the agenda and preparations for WGES 2015 were discussed.

Under the support of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Dewa will host WGES 2015 in the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre over two days on April 22-23, 2015. The Summit will build on the Dubai Declaration, a key outcome of WGES 2014, the purpose of which was to outline the commitments for Dubai in order to enable the Emirate to develop into the Capital of the Green Economy.

Al Tayer said: “WGES 2015 will be held next year under the theme of ‘Global partnerships, sustainable future’, establishing Dubai’s global position and its pivotal role in achieving the UAE Vision 2021, to build a sustainable and competitive economy and to strengthen its commitment to becoming the Capital of The Green Economy. The Summit also falls in line with His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s initiative ‘Green economy for sustainable development’, which has enabled Dubai to be open for future opportunities and promising projects.”

He added: “WGES in its first year has achieved great success and a well-respected global reputation. The Dubai Declaration has become a key indicator of our commitment to establishing a global green economy and sustainable development, and, in line with the vision of our leaders, will promote green business ahead of Expo 2020. WGES 2015 will build on the success of the inaugural summit, and will make Dubai the global hub for the exchange of ideas, projects, commerce and trade that is anchored around the green economy.”

Waleed Salman, executive vice president for strategy & business development for Dewa, and CEO of the Dubai Green Economy Partnership, said: “The 2015 Summit is firmly rooted in building upon the foundations of the inaugural Summit in April 2014. Since the first Summit we have been developing action plans around each declaration to ensure that World Green Economy Summit is synonymous with action and not just words.”

“Our public private partnership platform at WGES 2015 will join governments and public authorities with corporate and financial institutions in order to showcase innovative solutions to perceived challenges in green development,” he added.