During a visit to Belém, Gulf ambassadors strengthen bilateral relations and say they await the best COP in history

A delegation of diplomatic representatives from Gulf countries was received by the governor of Pará, Helder Barbalho, and Vice Governor Hana Ghassan, on this Monday (11), at the Government Palace in Belém. The meeting with the ambassadors from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain aimed to strengthen bilateral relations, explore future partnership opportunities, and discuss the preparation of the Pará capital for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will take place in November.

The delegation was composed of the ambassador of Bahrain, Bader Abbas Hasan Ahmed Alhelaib; ambassador of Kuwait, Talal Rashed Almansour; ambassador of Oman, Abdulghaffar Abdulkarim Issa Al Bulushi; ambassador of Qatar, Ahmad Mohammed Ali Mohamed Alshebani; first secretary of the Saudi Arabian Embassy, Meshal Alshalan, and the deputy ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Maysoun Aldah.

During the meeting, Helder Barbalho emphasized that holding COP30 in the Pará capital is an opportunity for the world to immerse itself in the Amazon to understand the environmental, climatic, and social challenges of the region. "In order for us to make the COP in Belém a legacy COP with the environmental responsibility that we all must have," stressed the governor, adding that the “COP in Pará is the chance to strengthen ties and advance in the green economy.”

Biotechnology - The head of the state executive also emphasized the importance of strengthening ties with Gulf countries for financing projects in the Amazon.

"We have the challenge of collectively building the energy transition process, and we also know the challenges we have for reducing emissions. But we would very much like to strengthen relations in terms of financing for our biodiversity. We strongly believe that biotechnology represents a great strategy. Just as we lived in past decades from technological investment, the support and leap from global economic challenges, the inclusion of biodiversity, with the aggregation of knowledge, values, and technology, can enable all the necessary economic and ecological transitions for humanity. And we are structured in this sense," reiterated Helder Barbalho.

Expectation of overcoming - Representing the Gulf Cooperation Council, the ambassador of Kuwait, Talat Rashed Almansour, said that the "expectation is that COP30 will be an opportunity to surpass the other COPs. It is my first time visiting Pará, but I always receive photos about the preparations of the city of Belém for the COP. In general, I expect the success of COP30. We appreciate the efforts of the federal, state, and municipal governments to make the event a success and exceed all expectations."

The same enthusiasm was highlighted by Vice Governor Hana Ghassan. According to her, who chairs the State Committee for COP30, “Belém is a unique city. You will now be able to know a little about our culture, a little about our cuisine, and a little about the welcoming people we have, and how happy we are to receive visitors.”