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ABU DHABI /WAM
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has awarded His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the Order of Zayed in appreciation of their pivotal role in the successful organisation of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) recently hosted by the UAE.
Furthermore, in recognition of their contributions to the success of the conference, His Highness awarded the Order of the Union to His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Advisor; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Higher Committee overseeing preparations to host COP28; Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairperson of the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation (SHF); His Excellency Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President; and His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Junaibi, Chairman of the Federal Authority for Protocol and Strategic Narrative.
His Highness also honoured the UAE’s COP28 negotiating team, along with members of the COP28 Presidency Office and various working groups, by awarding them the First Class Order of Zayed II. His Highness awarded Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, the Order of the Union in appreciation of her efforts and role in the UAE’s successful hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai.
During the award ceremony at Erth Hotel in Abu Dhabi, His Highness congratulated all the teams on the success of COP28, praising their role in its organisation and the distinguished manner in which it was convened, reflecting the nation’s standing in hosting major international events. Moreover, he lauded their achievement in reaching the historic UAE Consensus, which marks a key turning point in global climate action. His Highness expressed his pride in these exemplars of the nation, highlighting their organisational and negotiating skills, which required comprehensive knowledge and expertise in specialised fields. Foremost among these areas are diplomacy and law, climate policies, composure under strict timelines, and cross-cultural communication to bridge differing positions among parties. These skills contributed to reaching a consensus in decisions and outcomes among the 198 parties.
His Highness stated that the conference’s success was the result of collaboration and the concerted efforts of various national entities, institutions, bodies, and individuals. This success underscored the nation’s commitment to enhancing its pivotal global role in addressing climate change, promoting joint international action in this critical field, and fostering sustainability.
The recipients expressed their pride at being recognised by His Highness, thanking the UAE leadership for facilitating their work during the conference. They also expressed their gratitude to the COP28 Presidency for enabling them to play this role and for providing a historic opportunity to represent the UAE while achieving a milestone that adds to the nation’s record of achievements, as embodied by the UAE Consensus. The ceremony concluded with a photo session of His Highness the President with all the honoured individuals and the COP28 teams.