Arab League and US work to elevate women's voices at Cop28

Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold inaugural strategic dialogue in Washington

Women tend to be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than men. AFP

The Arab League and the US have agreed to include “a diverse range” of women's voices at the coming Cop28 climate summit in Dubai.

The commitment comes after Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of Cop28, announced last week that inclusivity would be a key pillar in his country's plans for the major climate summit.

“We resolve to work to ensure that women are economically empowered and engaged in decision-making processes,” the Arab League's Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a joint-statement on Thursday following talks in Washington.

“We intend to work to ensure that Cop28 in Dubai, for the benefit of the process, includes a diverse range of women’s voices.”

Earlier this month, a UN Women's conference warned that women remain a minority in the climate change agenda, despite historically experiencing higher vulnerability to climate change's impacts than men.

Mr Aboul Gheit visited the State Department on Wednesday for an inaugural strategic dialogue that covered a range of topics including regional conflicts, climate change and tech infrastructure.

The National confirmed that Mr Blinken reiterated Washington's position against the bloc's re-engagement with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, and emphasised joint work on “encouraging a return to civilian rule in Sudan”.

The wide-ranging talks marked a renewed commitment from both parties to “increasing co-operation on mutually important issues”.

“We strongly believe that our shared commitment to investing in our peoples will reap dividends for the future generations of all Arab League member states and the United States,” the joint statement added.