<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The United Arab Emirates is interested in making investments in the energy sector of Bangladesh, particularly renewable energy, said a visiting minister of the oil-rich Gulf country on Thursday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber expressed this eagerness during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>“They are very interested in the energy sector, especially renewable energy alongside conventional energy,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said while briefing reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Ahmed, also the chairman of ‘Masdar’ (an energy company) and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), said that they will send two teams to Bangladesh from UAE -- one is to discuss renewable energy and another one to discuss business.</div><div><br></div><div>During the meeting, mainly the climate change and bilateral issues including economic cooperation were discussed, said the press secretary.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahmed, also the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and President-Designate for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) praised the leadership of PM Hasina on the climate change issue and expected her further support on this issue.</div><div><br></div><div>He sought support from the prime minister on climate change and food security issues. “We want to be a game changer,” he said, adding that they are exerting pressure on collection of climate funds to solve the problem before the COP28.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that UAE is going green, the minister said they want to get a positive impact from the COP28 in the UAE.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said the COP28 is of crucial importance since it will involve a global stocktake of the Paris Agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>“We hope the UAE presidency will help make a realistic assessment of the progress made and the huge gaps that remain to accelerate climate actions globally to maintain the 1.5 degree temperature,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and UAE, the PM said “We’ve many things in common.”</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, PM’s ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Environment Secretary Farhina Ahmed and UAE ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Ali Al Hamoudi were present. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>