Arab News Japan

The 10th session of the Abu Dhabi-Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) emphasized on Thursday their commitment to support the UAE’s Net Zero efforts and the United Nations sustainable goals. 

The session addressed energy transition and green innovation while also hosting group activity reports on sustainable energy.  

The 10th session was co-chaired by Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), and KODAIRA Nobuyori, President of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). 

“Over the past years, the cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan has diversified and evolved significantly, boosting trade and investment. ADJEC continues to be a vital platform for fostering economic cooperation and a means to explore new avenues for collaboration,” said Al Zaabi. 

“As one of Abu Dhabi’s top trading partners, it is crucial that the 10th session of ADJEC underscore our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The UAE has extended the Year of Sustainability, reflecting our ongoing collective commitment, and we are accelerating our initiatives to foster a future characterized by sustainable economic development,” Al Zaabi added.

Al Zaabi shared that there have been over 20 agreements between Abu Dhabi entities and their counterparts in Japan during Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio in July 2023. 

Moreover, Kodaira gave a speech at the session that highlighted Japan’s commitment to achieve the net-zero emission goal by 2050. 

“This (goal) comes amidst a global trend where the transition towards carbon neutrality is becoming a long-term challenge. Considering this shared challenge, I believe there are ample opportunities for multi-layered cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan for the next generation,” he said. 

“ADJEC’s working groups—sustainable energy, education and human resources development, and infrastructure—are playing a pivotal role in strengthening our development programmes. Focusing on decarbonization, we have conducted workshops for Japanese companies and Abu Dhabi institutions and companies to provide valuable insights for future developments,” he added.

Additionally, Shihab Ahmed Alfaheem, UAE ambassador to Japan, stressed the importance of the bilateral and shared that the UAE is eager to expand the relationship further. 

“The new Japan-UAE Innovation Partnership (JUIP), which consists of three pillars, will pave the way to strengthen our partnerships in fields such as clean energy, green chemicals, and recycling technology, as the world is making strides towards decarbonization,” he said. 

IWATA Kazuchika, Japan’s state minister of economy, trade, and industry, and ISOMATA Akio, Ambassador of Japan to the UAE, attended the session alongside senior officials, executives, and government officials. 

The UAE is one of Japan’s top trading partners in the Middle East, while Japan is the UAE’s third largest trading partner globally. 

The total volume of trade between Japan and the UAE for the first 10 months of 2023 exceeded ¥5,615,868 (US$38.2 billion).

ADJEC has significantly contributed to strengthening bilateral relations between Abu Dhabi and Japan since its establishment in 2011.