UAE participates in second meeting of Development Working Group for the year 2023

The UAE participated in the second meeting of the G20 Development Working Group for 2023, which is being held under the presidency of the Republic of India, in the city of Kumarakom in Kerala, India.
 
The meeting discussed the two drafts of the action plan focused on efforts to accelerate progress on the sustainable development goals, as well as discussions and proposals from countries on the group's directions, in line with the priorities of India's presidency of the G20.
 
The UAE team participating in the meeting included His Excellency Rashed AlHemeiri, Director of Foreign Aid Affairs Department and Dr. Kamal Al Yammahi, from the Development Cooperation Department, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The meeting was attended by members of the G20 and invited countries, partners affiliated with the group, and representatives of many international organizations specializing in international development.
 
During the first day, the UAE delegation participated in sessions on data for development and women's participation, as well as on ‘green’ development, where capacity-building mechanisms in the field of using data to serve the development goals of developing countries were reviewed. India's vision as chair of the G20 towards empowering women and girls to reach their full potential was also covered, with discussions on changing the narrative of "women's development" to "women-led development" and the most important challenges facing women. Discussions also covered the challenges of limited financing and lack of access to capital, technology and education for small and medium enterprises, and the efforts of the G20 to forge international consensus and create momentum for a strong multilateral approach in order to bring about effective and just transformations in developing countries.
 
The UAE delegation also participated on the second day in a session on sustainable development, coordination and partnerships. The session included a presentation of the Green Development Pact, which provides support for developing countries to mitigate risks, including for sustainable consumption, adaptation to climate change, and reducing carbon footprints, industrialization with decarbonization. The second day also featured a call to international institutions such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, to conduct an assessment of the role played by the G20 in the past few years in responding to crises and the success it has achieved.
 
During the sessions, the UAE delegation stressed the importance of taking into account the differences between rural and urban environments, and different social and economic backgrounds when dealing with action plans related to the development of women, bridging the gender gap and initiating more discussions about financing action plans and the participation of the private sector. The UAE delegation also highlighted their experience in providing assistance to developing countries in the field of clean energy and showing how to implement successful projects, especially with regard to sourcing finance, and how to overcome any challenges.
 
The meeting also called for countries to seize the opportunities presented by the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will be hosted by the UAE in November this year, and which represents the largest global conference of heads of state, government and stakeholders on climate and environmental issues. COP28 seeks to find solutions to climate challenges, and at the conference the G20 summit will be able to present its results related to climate change and its impact on development.