The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) and the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance financing solutions for energy and water efficiency ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, informs the Emirate News Agency.
Announced during the 2025 World Utilities Congress, the agreement aligns with preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, where GCFC will lead the Finance Track and the UAE will serve as co-host.
“As we look ahead to the 2026 UN Water Conference, which the UAE will co-host, we are committed to deepening partnerships that deliver measurable progress and scalable innovation in energy and water efficiency, in line with our national priorities,” said Ahmed Al Falasi, Energy Efficiency Sector Executive Director at the DoE. He added, “We look forward to implementing high-impact initiatives… and moving toward building an effective ecosystem that includes government entities, the private sector, and the community at large.”
Mercedes Vela Monserrate, CEO of GCFC, emphasized the importance of the collaboration: “This agreement reflects the work already underway between GCFC and the Department of Energy to develop financing mechanisms for energy and water efficiency. It also formalises our collaboration as we lead the Finance Track for the 2026 UN Water Conference.”
The MoU supports Abu Dhabi’s Finance Strategy by reinforcing the Emirate’s role in climate finance and scaling funding for energy and water efficiency, including behavioural and environmental initiatives. It also aims to build institutional capacity and facilitate knowledge exchange.
Key areas of cooperation include developing financing instruments energy and water efficiency infrastructure, using tools like guarantees and green bonds, and offering technical support to regulators and project developers. The agreement also promotes policy alignment and high-level coordination to build a strong pipeline of investable projects.
