UAE President attends opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on Tuesday.

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an annual global platform that brings together leaders, policymakers, and experts to advance practical solutions for sustainable development in the UAE and around the world.

The opening ceremony was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; His Highness Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs; and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs.

Also present were His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; along with a number of Sheikhs, ministers, senior officials, heads of state and government representatives, as well as sustainability experts, specialists, and guests from around the world.

During the ceremony, His Highness welcomed participants to Abu Dhabi and noted that Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week reflects the UAE’s role as a convening platform for dialogue and action, bringing together governments, businesses and investors to turn shared ambitions into practical outcomes.

He also highlighted the rapid growth of advanced technologies and the digital economy, emphasising the role of innovation, particularly artificial intelligence, in improving efficiency, strengthening resilience and supporting inclusive economic growth.

The opening ceremony commenced with the UAE national anthem and featured a film focused on the importance of achieving integration across systems and sectors to build a sustainable future.

His Excellency Dr Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, delivered the keynote address, welcoming Their Highnesses, heads of state, ministers and summit guests and expressing appreciation for the UAE leadership’s continued support for clean energy and sustainable development.

Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the UAE’s pragmatic, results-driven approach to growth, noting that international cooperation and leadership in energy, industry and advanced technology remain central to the country’s long-term vision.

Held under the theme ‘The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,’ Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026 brings together stakeholders from the energy, finance, food, water, and environmental sectors to advance integrated solutions that strengthen resilience and accelerate impact across interconnected systems.

This year’s programme focuses on emerging priorities such as AI-enabled energy systems, climate finance, and innovations that support food and water security. By convening leaders and experts across these sectors, ADSW 2026 aims to establish a global model for deepening cross-sector collaboration and delivering tangible outcomes.

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week runs until 15 January. The programme includes the IRENA Assembly (11-12 January), the ADSW Summit (13-14 January), and a series of fora and exhibitions taking place throughout the week, including the ADSW Dialogues, World Future Energy Summit, the Youth For Sustainability (Y4S) Forum (13-15 January), the annual WiSER Forum and Global South Utilities Forum (14 January), the Green Hydrogen Summit, the Zayed Sustainability Prize Investor Connect, the Blue Forum, and the Global Climate Finance Centre Annual Meeting (15 January).

WAM