The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered Bangladesh to take advantage of the Abu Dhabi Fund for climate change and renewable energy for introducing new technologies for solar and other forms of renewable energy to strengthen its green energy portfolio. The offer came during a bilateral meeting between State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and the Head of the UAE delegation to the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit, Cabinet Member and Minster of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zayudi in Bangkok. The second Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit was held in Bangkok on October 9 and 10, said the foreign ministry of Bangladesh yesterday. Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem was present during the bilateral meeting on Sunday. Both ministers discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including technical cooperation with the UAE in climate change and renewable and sustainable energy technologies, mutual support at international level and reopening of UAE’s labour marker for Bangladeshis and the welfare of migrant workers. Bangladeshi state minister appreciated UAE’s offer and briefed that with four million solar homesteads, Bangladesh holds the highest record for solar panel households in the region. The UAE minister invited Bangladesh participation in the ACD Sustainable Energy Ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi in January 2017. Referring to the issue of scheduled visit by the UAE delegation to Bangladesh, the state minister hoped that the UAE delegation visit for an assessment of UAE market for Bangladeshi workers will be able to facilitate the reopening of the UAE market for Bangladeshi migrant workers. The UAE minister also assured Bangladesh that with the growing demand for foreign workers in agriculture and fisheries sector, the UAE would certainly consider recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in future. The state minister also requested that Bangladesh be given some good stalls at Expo 2020 in the UAE. The UAE Ambassador to Thailand was also present during the meeting.
2016 / thedailystar.net