Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, participated in the Ministerial Dialogue of the Singapore-IRENA High-Level Forum, hosted as part of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2025.

The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts under this year’s theme, "Envisioning Energy Tomorrow, Building Systems Today".

This session explored how governments have facilitated regional energy integration while managing their national priorities. Panelists shared insights on essential policies, regulations, and partnerships to unlock investment opportunities that accelerate cross-border energy projects.

“The UAE’s approach to enabling clean-energy investments is built on three pillars: long-term policy stability, open and competitive markets, and strong regional and global connectivity," Al Olama said.

He added that over the past decade, the UAE has attracted clean-energy investment, delivering record-low tariffs and proving that transparent tenders and bankable power-purchase agreements attract high-quality international capital.

Through Masdar, the UAE is now developing clean-energy projects across over 40 countries that have over 50 GW of installed capacity today. Masdar targets 100 GW and one million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.

He added, “To scale such investments across borders, especially in fast-growing regions like Southeast Asia, three enablers are essential: Clear long-term market signals for stable transition targets to build investor confidence, regulatory and grid harmonisation to enable seamless interconnection and reliable clean-energy trade, and de-risking through innovative financing to reduce exposure to demand, currency, and political risks.”

He highlighted the GCC Power Grid as a strong example that has already helped GCC states avoid more than $3 billion in additional generation costs, increasing resilience while reducing emissions and improving stability. He noted that the same model can underpin green power corridors linking the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where electricity demand is projected to grow 60 percent by 2040.

“As we advance toward COP30 and beyond, the UAE remains committed to turning dialogue into delivery, mobilising partnerships that make clean energy, efficiency, and interconnection the backbone of shared energy security, sustainable growth, and prosperity for all nations," Al Olama stated.