Today's Edition
DUBAI (WAM)
Today, the UAE pledged $200 million (Dh735 million) to help climate resilience in vulnerable countries.
The announcement, which came during the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS), follows up from a previous pledge of $200 million to support development in low-income countries earlier this year in Marrakech.
The commitment comes in the form of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), pledged to IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST). The RST is a trust held by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and provides long-term concessional funding for climate resilience and pandemic preparedness. The RST supports climate resilience in low- and middle-income economies and countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President, said, “The UAE is delighted to announce our SDR commitment to the IMF Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST). We are committed to supporting those countries and communities who have often contributed the least to climate change but are impacted the most.”
Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said, “The UAE’s allocation of funds to the Resilience and Sustainability Trust is a testament to our commitment to advancing sustainable finance efforts and supporting countries most affected by climate change. The Ministry of Finance in the UAE prioritises identifying climate financing gaps, assessing the impact of climate change mitigation policies on capital flows, and recognising the macroeconomic risks resulting from climate change. We work closely with our partners from international financial organisations, such as the IMF, to enhance multilateral coordination in sustainable finance action.”
SDRs are a stable asset, pegged against a basket of five currencies – the US dollar, the euro, the Chinese reminbi, the Japanese yen, and the British pound sterling - which IMF members can exchange for a freely usable currency when needed. The RST was established in 2022 as a response to the need to support low- and middle- income economies and vulnerable countries as they confront longer-term climate change risks.
