MOFA has quiet but crucial role in summit

Yearly Direct Normal Irradiance (2010). The Masdar Institute has launched a solar energy atlas that interprets the topography and climatic conditions in the UAE in terms of the viability for solar proShow more

They may take little credit for it, but behind the scenes officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working hard to develop the UAE's green credentials.

The ministry has been instrumental in promoting international cooperation on sustainability, as well as bringing key players to the country.

The ministry is crucial to the success of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The event attracts heads of state, non-governmental organisations and company executives in equal measure.

In the run-up to the event, the ministry has been working closely with Masdar to ensure that the week can boast an impressive line-up of government figures from around the world.

Cooperation with Masdar is routine to the ministry, says Dr Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, the director of energy and climate change at the ministry.

"Masdar is one of our main partners, [we] promote their projects internally and externally," said the director. "We are working hard with them for sustainability week."

Masdar is core to Abu Dhabi's sustainability efforts, and Dr Thani is used to lending a helping hand.

The Masdar Institute, home to the clean energy company's research operations, this year launched a solar energy atlas that interprets the topography and climatic conditions in the UAE in terms of the viability for solar projects.

The map was the joint effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Masdar, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi and Dubai's Supreme Council of Energy.

"We did the planning and the concept development," said Dr Thani. "Now it's one of the flagship projects at the Masdar Institute."

The diplomats have also been busy in paving the way for Masdar, which is owned by Mubadala, to invest abroad by facilitating international ties in the renewable energy sphere.

The UAE has already signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with China, Germany, Spain and Portugal, and these agreements help to foster cross-border investment and cooperation.

Masdar has been an active investor abroad, and is involved in solar and wind projects in Europe in particular.

Funding has also gone the other way, with France's Total and Spain's Abengoa partners in Masdar's first large-scale solar project Shams-1.

"We expect to announce a couple of MoUs during sustainability week," said Dr Thani.

Other than bringing together the great and the good at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the ministry is enhancing the country's green image through its work with international organisations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was instrumental in convincing the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) to move its headquarters to Abu Dhabi in 2009. It was also heavily involved when the UAE joined the Global Green Growth Institute, a Seoul-based organisation that seeks to promote sustainable growth in developing countries.

Dr Thani is keen for Arabian Gulf countries to shed their image as the planet's worst polluters. He feels that last November's climate change summit in Doha was a chance to show that things are changing. "Doha was an opportunity to showcase to the world what we're doing in clean energy. The region is doing many things," he said.