The Former President of the Republic of Seychelles Mr. James Alix Michel attended the opening ceremony of the World Future Energy Summit 2017, as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) today.

Prior to the ceremony, President Michel met with HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Also present at the opening were the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Danny Faure, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of the Republic of Costa Rica Luis Guillermo Solís, the Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the President of the Republic of Paraguay, Mr. Horacio Cartes, the President of the Republic of Montenegro, Mr. Filip Vujanović, the former President of the Republic of Mexico Mr. Felipe Calderón, Former President of the Republic of Mexico and the Former President of the Republic of Iceland, Dr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson.

The Chairman of Masdar and UAE Minister of State, H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber opened the prestigious event which brings together more than 38,000 attendees from 175 countries. The keynote address was presented by the President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The opening ceremony was followed by the Zayed Future Energy Prize award ceremony, where high schools, NGOs and private enterprises from around the world were awarded prizes for the development of projects and technological solutions for clean energy and sustainable living.

President Michel toured the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week exhibition, where he met with various companies that provide sustainable living solutions, solar energy technology, deep-sea drones, as well as non-governmental organization that are dedicated to the promotion of sustainable development.

“ The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is a wonderful gathering of exceptional minds; all committed to a cleaner and more sustainable future. The entrepreneurship, innovation and imagination of the technologies exhibited here are model for us in Seychelles, as we develop our Blue Economy and ensure the sustainable development of our ocean; such innovation gives us hope for a better future,” said Mr. Michel.

In the margins of the summit, President Michel also met with the Former President of Iceland Dr Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, and discussed the ways that their advocacy work concerning oceans and sustainable development may be reinforced at various international meetings.

Mr. Michel also spoke with the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Mr. Adnan Z. Amin, particularly in terms of research in technologies being developed for renewable energy from ocean resources, which can may be developed for Small Island Developing States.

Editor's Note

• Photo caption: Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Mr. Adnan Z. Amin and former President Michel