UAE delegation attends Canadian Hydrogen Convention to advance collaboration on Hydrogen
A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates, including representatives from the Canada-UAE Business Council, Essa Al-Ghurair Investment, and Masdar, this week attended the inaugural Canadian Hydrogen Convention in Edmonton, Alberta. The delegation’s visit sought to advance collaboration between Canada and the United Arab Emirates and accelerate the role of hydrogen in the global energy transition.
The Canadian Hydrogen Convention, held from April 26-28, is the largest event in Canada showcasing hydrogen as an essential enabler to reach net-zero emissions. Co-hosted by Edmonton Global, the Convention seeks to bring the entire supply chain together to discuss innovations and solutions for low-carbon hydrogen production, energy infrastructure, storage, and the path towards net-zero by 2050.
Over the three-day programme, several bilateral and business-to-business meetings were held with the support of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service to foster greater cooperation between the two countries. The delegation took part during the Convention in a panel highlighting the United Arab Emirates’ hydrogen leadership and ambitious investments in clean energy ecosystems.
Additionally, the Canada-UAE Business Council hosted a bilateral working dinner on the sidelines of the Canadian Hydrogen Convention with senior executives representing leading Canadian businesses, including Canada-UAE Business Council member companies TD Securities, Cameron Development Corporation, and Gowling WLG. Senior officials from Edmonton Global, Sturgeon County, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, Invest in Canada, and the Government of Saskatchewan also joined the dinner.
The delegation’s visit builds on the strong trade and economic ties between Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates is Canada’s 15th largest foreign direct investor and is Canada’s second trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa region. Both countries have recognized the critical need to accelerate measures tackling climate change and to collaborate to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Nour Kechacha, President of the Canada-UAE Business Council, stated: “There are great synergies between Canada and the United Arab Emirates to be explored. This visit aims to unlock new opportunities for collaboration in the hydrogen sector and gather like-minded partners to support both countries achieve their net-zero by 2050 commitment.”
The governments of Canada and the United Arab Emirates have each announced hydrogen roadmaps to accelerate the transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy and reach their net-zero by 2050 targets by leveraging existing assets. Earlier this month, Canada announced a new set of measures in Budget 2022 to increase investments in clean power, support clean electricity projects, encourage the decarbonization of the country’s energy sector, and mobilize new capital to establish hydrogen hubs.
The United Arab Emirates delegation’s visit to the Canadian Hydrogen Convention highlights both countries’ shared goal to mitigate the effects of climate change and unlock new economic opportunities. The Canada-UAE Business Council will continue to play a pivotal role in harnessing collaboration between the two countries to achieve the objectives of this crucial policy agenda.
