Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates will host the I2U2 vice-ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi this week. Senior officials from the four nations, Israel, the United States, India, and the United Arab Emirates, will attend.
The US team will be led by Under Secretary of State for Economic Development, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez in Abu Dhabi on February 21 and 22, according to a formal announcement.
Fernandez will represent the US at the I2U2 Business Forum, hosted by the UAE; it is the first vice-ministerial meeting since the grouping was jointly announced by President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Lapid, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said.
"During the forum, partner countries will discuss opportunities to advance regional cooperation and investment opportunities to build partnerships that address some of the region's most pressing issues, including management of the energy crisis and food insecurity," the State Department said.
Fernandez will also meet with senior UAE officials to discuss bilateral climate and clean energy cooperation, food security, and other shared economic priorities as the UAE prepares to host COP28 in November 2023, it said.
Special Envoy for Global Food Security Dr Cary Fowler will join Under Secretary Fernandez to advance US food security priorities, the statement added.
Thereafter, he will travel to Muscat to lead the US delegation in the first US-Oman Strategic Dialogue.
With PTI inputs