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Foreign Minister Shahid co-moderates roundtable discussion during the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum

Foreign Minister Shahid co-moderates roundtable discussion ... Image 1

 

14 May 2023

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid along with Kadri Simson, EU Commissioner for Energy co-moderated roundtable discussion on pursuing green opportunities and overcoming global challenges at the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum.

In his opening remarks Minister Shahid emphasized the pressing need for transition towards clean, reliable, and climate-friendly energy sources. He noted that political commitment, cooperation and partnerships are essential to work towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The roundtable discussion focused on making green energy affordable and available, promoting renewable energy, and emphasized the need to address biodiversity loss, pollution, and the growing energy demand of the Indo-Pacific region. The importance of partnerships promoting energy diversification through increased investment and and utilizing technology to achieve green transitions were also highlighted. The upcoming COP28 conference and initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway were cited as examples. Additionally, the need for a whole of government and whole of society approach applying a gender lens to the challenges and potential solutions were underscored in the discussion.

This roundtable served as a platform to foster dialogue between the Indo Pacific and the EU on the urgent issue of climate change and its impacts on all countries. Availability, accessibility and affordability were highlighted in the discussions as key challenges in achieving the green transition and addressing climate change.

The collaboration between the Indo-Pacific region and the European Union, facilitated by forums such as this, is vital in achieving these targets and pursuing sustainable development.