Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson in Saudi Arabia for climate and energy discussions and COP28 preparations

On 5 and 6 March, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, will visit Saudi Arabia to meet with government representatives for climate and energy discussions, and to prepare for the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28).

On Sunday morning, the Executive Vice-President and the Commissioner will meet the Minister of Energy, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, followed by a presentation on the energy transition and a roundtable on hydrogen, with the presence of national energy stakeholders and companies. They will also meet the Minister of Commerce, HE Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi, and the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, HE Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Envoy for Climate Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir. During the day, the Executive Vice-President and the Commissioner will participate in a youth dialogue to discuss the importance of enhancing global climate action, environmental protection and renewable energies.

On Monday, Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson, accompanied by the Minister of Energy, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud will take part in different field visits to national energy companies and research centers in the cities of Jubail and Dhahran. A tour to the facilities of the Jubail United Petrochemical Company and SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company will kick off the day, followed by a visit to the Aramco Research Centre and EXPEC Advanced Research Center, with a focus on Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and hydrogen; and the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra). To conclude the official visit to Saudi Arabia, both will visit the Wildlife Sanctuary in Shaybah that protects native plant and animal species in the country.