UAE committed to back food security: Mohamed
We must firmly oppose politicisation, instrumentalisation and weaponisation of food and energy problems, Xi told the summit in Bali, while also repeating his familiar opposition to Western sanctions policy
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan participated in the main session of the G20 Summit which started on Tuesday in Bali, Indonesia.
Sheikh Mohamed said on Twiter, “I was honoured to participate in the G20 Summit in Bali. Our world faces complex challenges that can only be addressed through dialogue and cooperation. The UAE is commited to working with the international community to pursue solutions that promise a brighter future for all.” Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed held meetings with leaders of the friendly country on the sidelines of the summit.
The UAE President met Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the summit.
During the meeting, they exchanged cordial conversations, and discussed the distinguished relations between the two brotherly countries, a number of issues of common concern, and the topics and files presented on the group’s summit programme.
In a speech to the summit atendees, Sheikh Mohamed began by thanking Indonesia for its presidency of the G20 and its efforts in leading and coordinating the group’s work. He then conveyed his best wishes to India as it prepares to take over the presidency next year.
Sheikh Mohamed then turned to the topic of the session, which was titled ‘Food and Energy Security,’ stating, “We in the UAE believe that a balanced approach is the most successful in achieving sustainability.
“The UAE is commited to its responsible role in energy markets, including its priorities in the clean energy sector.
“We have reflected this commitment with investments worth $50 billion in clean energy in more than 40 countries around the world.” Sheikh Mohamed went on to explain that the UAE has established the Mangrove Climate Alliance in partnership with the Republic of Indonesia, as well as launching the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) plaform in cooperation with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Sheikh Mohamed continued, “As a global economic hub, the UAE will continue its concerted efforts to ensure more resilient and sustainable food and medical supply chains.
“We are also commited to harnessing the UAE’S global trade network, aviation capabilities, and advanced logistics facilities, to support food security initiatives and goals.” Sheikh Mohamed concluded by thanking the G20 delegates and stating that he was looking forward to welcoming them to the UAE next year during COP28.
The official delegation participating with the President of the UAE at the summit included Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Suhail Bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
On the other hand, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed global and regional developments in a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia.
Modi and Biden “expressed satisfaction” about close cooperation between India and the United States in new groupings such as the Quad, which includes Australia and Japan, and the I2U2, which includes Israel and the UAE.
“They reviewed the continuing deepening of the India-us strategic partnership,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Modi also exchanged courtesies with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of a G20 dinner.
Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies will express concern about the “deteriorating debt situation” facing some vulnerable middleincome countries, and call on all official and private creditors to respond switly to requests for debt treatment.
A drat of the G20 leaders declaration seen by Reuters includes far stronger language about debt issues and acknowledges that the problems extend far beyond just the poorest nations.
Russia’s missile strikes on Ukraine, some of which hit residential buildings in Kyiv, will increase the concerns among the G20 countries over the impact around the world of the war, the White House said.
‘The UAE is committed to its responsible role in energy markets, including its priorities in the clean energy sector,’ says president; ‘we have reflected this commitment with investments worth $50 billion in clean energy in more than 40 countries,’ he added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the G20 Tuesday against the “weaponisation” of food and energy, in a possible veiled criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We must firmly oppose politicisation, instrumentalisation and weaponisation of food and energy problems,” Xi told the summit in Bali, while also repeating his familiar opposition to Western sanctions policy.
Xi Jinping was the leader everyone wanted to meet at this week’s G20 summit, where he took centre stage in a carefully choreographed appearance ater three years of self-imposed pandemic isolation.
President Xi strode into Tuesday’s G20 summit the morning ater a three-hour meeting with his US counterpart Joe Biden in which they promised to dial down the rhetoric and work to close the yawning gap between the two powers.
With smiles and handshakes - as well as promises of fresh talks on climate change and trade - Xi appeared keen to paint himself as a magnanimous diplomat ready to confront global challenges and build bridges.
“Xi Jinping is certainly working to make up for lost time on the international stage,” said Danny Russel, Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, adding that Xi’s burst of diplomacy resembled a “charm offensive.”
“The Biden-xi summit raised hopes that the two powers might now be willing to separate their global responsibilities from their bilateral differences.”
Also on Xi’s checklist of world leaders to schmooze were Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo - the G20 summit host - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol.
He is also expected to meet Japanese premier Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok later this week.
And the conspicuous absence of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin - isolated on the world stage because of his brutal war in Ukraine - solidifies Xi’s place as the prime global counterweight to the Us-led international order.
Xi and Biden both entered their tete-a-tete in Bali from a position of strength - the former secured a historic third term as China’s top leader at the Communist Party Congress last month, and the later’s Democratic Party exceeded expectations in the US midterm elections.
Flanked by foreign policy and political figures from his reshuffled party top brass, Xi did not waver on Beijing’s hardline position on Taiwan and told Biden it was the “core of China’s core interests” and an “insurmountable red line in Us-china relations.”
Nor did he appear to make any clear concessions on the Ukraine war or North Korea’s weapons tests.
“(Biden’s) prime emphasis is still prevention of Us-china military conflict,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing and an advisor to China’s State Council.
Chinese officials may have been relieved by Putin’s G20 absence, which spared them from having to show more concrete support for him in the face of united Western condemnation of Russia, analysts said.
“Xi is trying to thread a needle between trying to look like a respectable leader in the international system and supporting Putin,” said Michael Mcfaul, professor of international studies at Stanford University and former US ambassador to Russia.
Putin’s isolation at home and international pariah status could not contrast more sharply with the image Xi is projecting this week.
And his remarks to Biden that he agreed nuclear war should not be fought and cannot be won represent a clear rebuke to the Russian leader.
“Putin’s absence puts more atention on Xi, giving him more opportunity to put forward his views,” Chong Ja Ian, associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told AFP.
“Not having to deal with Putin, with whom Xi has created an image of having close ties, also means that Xi does not have to defend or criticise Russian actions.”