Delivered by: Mr. Ahmed Al Ghardaqa, Third Secretary

Mr. President,

The United Arab Emirates thanks you for convening us today.

We welcome Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency and Australia’s leadership of the negotiations, building on progress in Dubai, Baku and Belém. We commend Fiji and Tuvalu for hosting the Pre-COP meetings with Australia and bringing Pacific priorities to the centre of this process.

The UAE calls for accelerated implementation of the UAE Consensus in full. COP31 should advance mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation, keeping 1.5°C within reach while supporting sustainable development.

For developing countries most at risk, progress must mean stronger protection for people and ecosystems. Delivering on the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience requires accessible finance, technology and capacity-building, particularly for small island developing States and least developed countries.

We also call for collective action to strengthen climate resilience in countries affected by fragility, conflict and severe humanitarian needs. The COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace provides a foundation for advancing this work with partners.

At COP28, we helped operationalize the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage and pledged 100 million US dollars. We remain committed to ensuring assistance reaches developing countries most affected by climate change. We call on developed countries to fulfil their commitments through timely, accessible support.

As a coastal country in a water-scarce region, the UAE recognizes the connected risks of sea-level rise, water scarcity and climate-related disasters. Greater investment in early warning systems and anticipatory financing is essential to help communities prepare and act in time.

This December, the UAE and Senegal will co-host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi. Its “Water for Planet” dialogue connects climate action with ecosystem protection and disaster risk reduction. We encourage partners to use both COP31 and the water Conference to mobilize investment in water resilience, including protection against floods and droughts.

Mr. President,

Restoring trust requires delivering on agreed commitments. The UAE stands ready to work with partners to that end.

Thank you.