Speech by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week Summit
Date:14/01/2025
Dear conference participants!
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my dear brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, for inviting me to this summit.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week, whose influence is growing every year, is a unique expression of the Emirates’ rapid development as one of the international centers of dialogue on development, innovation, a “green” economy, and regional connectivity.
The fact that the COP-28 World Climate Summit was held in this beautiful land is another clear confirmation of this.
Dear heads of delegations!
Today, diversifying energy sources and sharply reducing the share of hydrocarbons in their balance is a key condition for mitigating the effects of climate change, ensuring sustainable development, and global security.
The strategic goal of the new Uzbekistan is to ensure environmental sustainability and transition to a “green” development model based on resource-efficient economic growth.
That is why we have declared 2025 the “Year of Environmental Protection and the “Green” Economy” in Uzbekistan.
We have developed a long-term strategy for low-carbon development and a national program for green financing. We will increase the green component of investment projects by up to 50 percent in the next five years.
We will also implement a National Emissions Trading System and a Greenhouse Gas Monitoring System. We plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030 and continuously increase this commitment.
As part of the “Green Space” program, at least 30 percent of urban areas will be transformed into green spaces. We are systematically working to implement 100 percent water-saving technologies in agriculture.
Dear summit participants!
We are rapidly developing “green” energy sources to fully meet the energy needs of our rapidly growing economy.
Over the past 5 years, nearly $20 billion in foreign investment has been attracted to the energy sector and 9.6 gigawatts of modern energy capacity have been commissioned. In particular, 14 solar and wind power plants with a capacity of 3.5 gigawatts and 2 storage systems with a capacity of 300 megawatts have been commissioned.
Currently, more than 50 large projects worth more than $26 billion and with a total capacity of 24 gigawatts are being implemented with foreign partners. We plan to increase the share of renewable energy in our country to 54 percent by 2030.
Today, “green” development has risen to the level of a nationwide movement in Uzbekistan.
We intend to further strengthen regional cooperation in this area and turn Central Asia into one of the centers of “green” economic development and “clean energy”.
We have also taken the first steps towards restoring the ancient Silk Road through energy interconnection. The multilateral agreement recently signed with our Kazakh and Azerbaijani partners at COP-29 will allow us to export green energy to Europe.
I would like to note that the United Arab Emirates is our reliable and strategic partner in the field of “green” energy. In recent years, the investment portfolio with the Emirates has exceeded $26 billion. Among them, renewable energy projects are the main locomotive.
Together with Masdar, the organizer of today’s global summit, we have launched 5 power plants with a total capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. Another 3 generation projects worth 1.6 gigawatts and energy storage systems of about 520 megawatt hours will be built.
We are implementing similar projects with other leading companies in the Emirates, as well as with our partners from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and China.
Dear conference participants!
We are interested in jointly developing Central Asia’s huge potential for solar, hydro, wind energy, and the production of “green” hydrogen.
According to preliminary estimates, Uzbekistan alone has the potential to produce 500 gigawatts of solar, 100 gigawatts of wind, and 10 gigawatts of hydropower.
Our region is rich in huge reserves of uranium and other extremely important strategic raw materials. We are ready to create all favorable conditions for each of our foreign partners in this direction.
We call on the prestigious scientific centers, experts, and scientists participating in our conference to actively cooperate with the “Green” University opened in Tashkent in implementing research and innovation programs.
I would like to propose the creation of an international scientific research network on combating land degradation and desertification based on this University.
At the same time, at the COP-28 and COP-29 summits and international forums held in Dubai and Baku, we put forward initiatives to establish an International Center for Climate Loss and Damage Assessment, ensure the safety of river ecosystems, organize a regional hub for water-saving technologies, and create a Plant Genetic Resources Bank to eliminate the negative consequences of global climate change, and we are ready to begin practical work with all our partners.
We will present a regional Green Development Concept at a conference on global climate challenges in Central Asia, scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan this year.
We also invite your representatives to the Global Youth Festival of Digital “Green” Initiatives, which will be held in the Aral Sea region on May 15 – International Climate Day.
Dear friends!
New Uzbekistan is open to the whole world on the path to sustainable development and “green” progress, and we call on all of you for broad-based practical cooperation.
In conclusion, I would like to wish the conference great success.
