Despite the turbulence tearing through the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have solidified their commitment to clean energy with the newly formed Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between Masdar and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE.) It’s leadership we desperately need.
Just over a week ago, with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad ibn Zayed Al Nahyan present, Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani, the President of K.A.CARE, and Dr. Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, Masdar’s Chairman of the Board, gathered to sign the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation.
Through the agreement, the two premier research and development groups will increase their cross boundary cooperation – particularly as it relates to cleaner energy generation and more affordable water purification. With so much uncertainty elsewhere in the region, this cooperation acts like an arrow that pierces through the noise.
“King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy is bent on building up a new sector the objective of which shall be contribution to the diversification of energy resources in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani.
Related: Saudi turns to solar, Israel stuck on shale
“We are pleased to co-sign the Agreement with Masdar which has been engaged in this emerging sector for over eight years. We are looking forward to see our combined synergies put together result in interactive efforts that should surely speed up the spawning of renewable energy projects and resolutions in the Gulf Area and in the four corners of the Earth as well. This particularly holds true that the renewable energy has commercially proven its feasibility.”
It’s an obvious collaboration, one that has been growing over the last several years, and one that will play a huge role in how the two countries are able to maintain their quality of life over the next few years and decades. And both parties seem to understand how important such cooperation will be for the entire region.
“That being said, we are now looking forward to set up an interdependent relationship between “Masdar” and “KACARE”, thus setting an example to be followed by the GCC countries to attain cooperation in the field of renewable energy and clean technologies as well,” said Dr. Al Jaber.
“This is so as we share similar circumstances and identical objectives.”
A steering committee comprised of members from both countries will be established to facilitate K.A. CARE’s and Masdar’s mutual objectives.
:: K.A.CARE
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
