TODAY: Oman kicks off operations on the first phase of interconnector project
Good morning, nice people. We have a compact issue for you this morning as we head into the weekend, with a significant update emerging from Oman…
THE BIG CLIMATE STORY- Oman’s national grid operator The Oman Electricity Transmission Company has kicked off operations on an OMR 372 mn (c. USD 966.4 mn) interconnector project spanning 670 km from the north of the country to the south.
^^ We have the details on this story and more in the news well, below.
THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- King Charles will deliver COP28’s opening address: King Charles has accepted UAE President Mohamed Al-Nahyan’s invite to COP28 and will be delivering the opening speech for the climate summit this month, according to a Buckingham Palace statement released yesterday. The British monarch – who has been a climate advocate for over five decades — previously delivered the opening address at COP26 in Glasgow and COP21 in Paris. King Charles will also attend a reception to kickoff the inaugural COP28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum.
The news made headlines in the international press: Reuters | The Guardian | CNN | Bloomberg
OVER IN COPLAND- Biden a no-show at COP28? US President Joe Biden is unlikely to attend the COP28 climate summit launching in the UAE at the end of this month, Reuters reports, citing two US officials and a third source briefed on the event’s planning. However, the sources stressed that the US president’s schedule should not be considered final until it is officially announced. Biden attended both COP26 and COP27, but announced his attendance to the latter just two weeks prior to the event.
What’s the hold-up? Biden’s advisors are weighing up the president’s priorities at a time where the country is heavily involved in the events unfolding in the Middle East, grappling with a Republican-controlled House of Representatives over federal spending, and working on an upcoming presidential campaign expected to heat up in January, Reuters writes.
A no-show could lose Biden votes: If Biden decides to skip the climate summit, he may be missing out on a chance to win votes from the US’ young and liberal demographic — who consider the climate change issue a top national priority — at the upcoming 2024 presidential elections. Biden’s absence would also mean a missed opportunity to meet with Arab and world leaders to discuss the war in Gaza, especially after a planned summit in Jordan was canceled this month.
WATCH THIS SPACE- ISA supports African renewables projects: India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) is set to extend a USD 35 mn financing package supporting solar energy projects, mainly in Africa, ABC News reports. The financing package — which will reportedly see India contribute USD 25 mn and the ISA itself channel USD 10 mn — would mainly support the development of mini grids and rooftop installations, the news outlet quotes ISA Director General Ajay Mathur as saying. Beneficiaries of the program from our neck of the woods are likely member countries Sudan, Egypt, and Tunisia. The ISA previously said it aims to raise USD 100 mn for a solar financing program that would act as a payment guarantee mechanism to spur investments in solar energy in Africa. ISA president R. K. Singh said Africa “has not been able to leverage its [solar power] potential” due to a lack of investments, according to ABC News.
HELP SUPPORT GAZANS-
Want to support relief efforts in Gaza, but don’t know how? We’ve got you. More than a mn people in Gaza have been thrown from their homes and every human being there lacks access to food, water, and fuel amid the most intense bombardment any population has endured this century. The charities we’re listing below are Egyptian organizations working on Gaza relief that we think you can trust if you want to make a donation.
#1- Egyptian Red Crescent Society is one of the nation’s leading providers of humanitarian and emergency medical services. The Egypt Red Crescent accepts donations in EGP online and is on Fawry with the service code 99981. You can also donate to the organization through this Banque du Caire account: 49/403/30 (EGP) or 1065/601/30 (USD — code: BCAIEGCX030).
#2- Egyptian Food Bank: The food bank has launched “Aid Gaza,” a hunger-relief campaign to supply essential food items to the people of Gaza. You can make an online donation through EFB’s website or the unified bank account number 888777 at every bank in Egypt. Do you live abroad? The EFB has a list of its verified accounts at major institutions (along with account numbers) here.
#3- The Mersal Foundation is a non-profit medical organization running medical aid convoys to Gaza. It is on Fawry using service code 9200 or you can donate through its EGP accounts at major national banks including CIB (100034654454), Banque Misr (5450001000003297), Emirates NBD (1019409332701), National Bank of Egypt (1953071376769426268), AAIB (1015996610010201), QNB (7352031181714268). The group lists other ways you can donate on its Facebook page.
#4- Lifemakers: The NGO, which has a record of providing medical, educational and social care services to Palestinians, has been helping to prepare aid convoys ahead of dispatch to deliver food, medical supplies, water, blankets, clothing, and other essentials to the besieged Gaza strip since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Donate through the foundation’s website or use Fawry code 950. Lifemakers also accepts donations for Gaza relief in EGP via CIB (account 100034226827) and NBE (0773070478998401017).
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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
Turkey will host the GCC-Türkiye Economic Forum from Saturday 11 November to Monday, 13 November in Istanbul. The forum aims to bring together key ministers and state officials from the Gulf countries and Turkey to explore areas of potential investments and commercial ties and to establish a network for joint projects in the energy, defense, banking, retail, and transportation sectors. The event is organized by the Gulf Research Center and Turkey’s International Cooperation Platform.
The UAE will host the MENA Solar Conference from Wednesday, 15 November to Saturday, 18 November in Dubai. The event will focus on all things photovoltaic, with a full programme on PV materials and devices, future technologies, PV reliability, and forecasting for performance assessment. The conference will also touch on how developments in system operations, concentrated solar power, and grid integration are necessary for the green transition. This will be the first scientific and technical conference specializing in solar energy systems in the region.
The UAE will host the Aviation and Alternative Fuels conference from Monday, 20 November to Friday, 24 November in Dubai. The event will bring together senior government officials and international organizations to assess progress in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and lower-carbon aviation fuel (LCAF) measured according to the targets outlined in the 2050 Vision for SAF, agreed upon at the last Aviation and Alternative Fuels conference in 2017.
The UAE will host the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) from Monday, 27 November to Thursday, 30 November in Abu Dhabi. The event will gather government officials, banks, financial institutions, and VCs to delve into today’s economic, technological, and sustainability conversations.
Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.