Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has set a Dh100 billion blue finance target to support water and blue economy-related financing between 2026 and 2035, the bank said in a statement.
FAB also became the first bank in the Middle East and North Africa to sign the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, a global framework aimed at promoting the sustainable use of water resources and encouraging financial institutions to consider water-related risks and opportunities in their decision-making.
The bank said the Dh100 billion target would support financing for sustainable water infrastructure and blue economy projects, making FAB the first bank in the UAE and the wider region to establish a dedicated water-related financing target.
The initiative is aligned with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 and comes ahead of the UN Water Conference, which the UAE is scheduled to host in Abu Dhabi in December, the statement said. FAB said financing could support areas including sustainable infrastructure, water reuse, advanced technologies and innovation.
Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the FAB’s commitment demonstrated the role the financial sector could play in supporting water security.
“FAB’s commitment to mobilise capital for blue finance is a strong example of the financial sector leadership that water now requires,” he said.
“Water underpins economic growth, resilience, and stability, yet it remains critically underfinanced. Ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, we encourage financial institutions in the UAE and globally to follow this example, putting water at the centre of investment and risk management decisions, and unlocking the capital needed for a resilient and sustainable future.”
Hana Al Rostamani, Group Chief Executive Officer of FAB, said water security had become a major sustainability priority for the UAE, the region and the global economy.
“By becoming the first bank in MENA to join the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles and committing Dh100 billion to blue finance, FAB is translating that priority into action at scale,” Al Rostamani said.
“Building on our track record in water-related financing, this commitment supports the UAE's long-term water security ambitions and reinforces FAB’s leadership in sustainable finance, contributing to a more resilient, nature-positive future for the region.”
The bank said the Dh100 billion blue finance target forms part of its existing Dh500 billion sustainable finance commitment to 2030 and does not represent an additional standalone target. It will also support FAB’s sustainable finance ambitions beyond 2030.
FAB said its previous water-related financing activities included issuance of what it described as the region’s first blue bond by a financial institution, with cumulative issuances amounting to $70 million.
As of the first half of 2026, the bank had facilitated Dh395 billion in sustainable and transition financing, equivalent to 79% of its Dh500 billion target for 2030.
The UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles were launched in 2018 as a framework to guide banks, insurers and investors in financing a sustainable blue economy and are hosted by the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, according to the FAB statement.
