Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group held talks with His Excellency Esben Lunde Larsen, Denmark’s Minister of Environment & Food at the Al Habtoor Group head office on Wednesday 28 March 2018. The Minister was accompanied by Her Excellency Merete Juhl, Danish Ambassador to the UAE; His Excellency Morten Siem Lynge, Consul General, Royal Danish Consulate General in Dubai, and incoming Consul General Michael T. Hansen. Also present was Jakob Riiskjær Nygård, Private Secretary to the Minister, Ministry of Environment & Food of Denmark and Henrik Studsgaard, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Food of Denmark.
HE Larsen was in the UAE for a three-day official visit to discuss strengthening cooperation with Emirati authorities on green initiatives including climate change, green energy and sustainability, as well as to promote collaboration. He also visited high profile businessmen in the private sector.
The Minister said he was impressed with the UAE’s sustainability goals, adding that it is important for Denmark to cooperate with a secure hub in the region. “To have a stable place in the region to cooperate with is of vital importance to Denmark,” he said. He added that he was impressed with the UAE on his first ever visit here.
Khalaf Al Habtoor said, “The energy in the UAE is different to anywhere else. Our fathers and founding fathers taught us not to wait for tomorrow what can be done today. We are a country with vision. More importantly, we put our vision into action. We don’t wait for tomorrow.”
Al Habtoor added that the UAE’s success comes from cooperation between the public and private sector, as well as knowledge sharing and collaboration with strategic partners. He pointed out that the UAE has a diverse community which consists of 195 nationalities. “Our country does not discriminate between race or religion. Everyone has an opportunity to excel here irrespective of where they come from. I always refer to it as the safe haven of the world.”
They discussed green initiatives that are being implemented and explored by the UAE. Minister Larsen praised the UAE for its environmentally-friendly plans, and acknowledged that ‘going green’ costs a lot of money for any government. He said that Denmark has been in a green transition and green development for 40 years and is on track to be fossil free by 2050.
The Minister highlighted Denmark vast experience in green technology and green energy, and said the UAE and Denmark are exploring ways of converting waste energy into renewable energy.
HE Larsen invited Al Habtoor to visit Greenland, one of the largest island’s in the world, with a population of around 50,000.