In Dubai, Tinubu Meets King Charles Ahead COP28 Summit

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) met on Thursday with King Charles III of England on the sidelines of the ongoing 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as Conference of the Parties (COP28).

The President tweeted about the meeting with King Charles III on his verified X handle, @officialABAT, saying the parley was a significant step towards strengthening the Nigerian-United Kingdom relations and partnership.

President Tinubu was optimistic that the contributions of both Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) will impact positively on the world’s future in the efforts to set equitable global environmental standards. 

He said: “I had a productive meeting with His Majesty, King Charles III of England who is also the Head of the Commonwealth, and a passionate climate advocate. 

“The meeting was a significant step in strengthening the partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and I am optimistic about the positive impact our joint efforts will have on our planet’s future as we look forward to setting an equitable global standard for environmental stewardship at #COP28”.

A statement issued earlier in the week by his presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said President Tinubu will deliver a national statement, at the Summit, highlighting Nigeria’s stance on various thematic issues, including renewable energy and climate financing. 

The President, according to the release, will maximize the opportunity afforded by the platform to advocate increased financial and technical support for developing nations, while reminding developed countries of their public pledge to provide $100 billion annually for support to localized initiatives to address climate change-related challenges. 

President Tinubu’s ’s message will also focus on holding businesses and institutions accountable, reflecting Nigeria’s dedication to sustainable and responsible practices.

The Nigerian delegation to COP28 will actively explore establishing new and deeper bilateral partnerships to implement Nigeria’s Energy Transition, Article 6 Projects, Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), Technology Transfer, Capacity Building, and Methane Mitigation.

While in Dubai, President Tinubu will also actively participate in key sideline events, which will further support the advancement of his avowed commitment to aggressively attract foreign direct investment for enhanced wealth creation and revenue expansion in the country, in addition to other events hosted by the Nigerian delegation