HE Saeed Al Tayer explores strengthening cooperation with Azerbaijani companies, invites participation in WETEX 2025

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), held a high-profile meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan. The meeting was attended by HE Mohammed Murad Al Balushi, Ambassador of the UAE to Azerbaijan, HE Anar Akhundov, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan, HE Vugar Ahmadov, Chairman and CEO of ‘Azerishq’, the Baku electrical grid operator, and representatives of Azerbaijani companies specialised in the energy sector. Al Tayer invited Azerbaijani companies to explore investment opportunities in Dubai, UAE, particularly in the energy, water, and sustainability sectors. He also invited them to participate in the 27th edition of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX), organised by DEWA from 30 September to 2 October 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The delegation that accompanied HE Al Tayer included HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA; Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA; Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and The Future at DEWA; Abdul Rahim Sultan, Director General of the World Green Economy Organization; and Mohammed Abdul Karim Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE).

Al Tayer extended warm greetings and acknowledged Azerbaijan's role as host of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), following the UAE’s recent success in hosting COP28.

“This success reflects the UAE’s continued commitment to working with the international community to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and address climate challenges and global warming. Our experience and expertise in hosting (COP28) have strengthened our determination to support Azerbaijan in organizing another successful climate conference, and we are fully prepared to provide our expertise and lessons learned to ensure the success of this important event. Our strong partnership is also evident in our cooperation in various projects, especially in the renewable energy sector, where we work together to develop solar energy projects and exchange knowledge and expertise,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer emphasised the solid bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, which extend for more than 30 years and include vital sectors such as economic development and renewable energy, which support the sustainable development goals of both countries.

“These ties have grown stronger under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The UAE is the largest Arab and 7th largest investor in Azerbaijan with a total amount of $1.1 billion by the end of 2022. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani investments in the UAE amounted to over $210 million as of the end of 2021. In Dubai, we work to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make the Emirate a global centre for clean energy and green economy through pioneering global projects and initiatives. Our strategy and direction are clear, as we aim through the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of energy from clean sources by 2050,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA has many pioneering renewable energy projects including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model and with investments totalling AED 50 billion (USD 13.6 billion), the solar park's capacity will exceed 5,000MW by 2030 using a mix of Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technologies. The park’s projects have achieved many leading records worldwide. DEWA has made significant progress, with clean energy capacity now comprising 17% of Dubai's energy mix, and it is on track to reach around 27% by 2030. Most notably, Dubai has surpassed its carbon abatement targets of the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy, with Carbon emissions reduction reaching 29% in 2023.

“The Emirates Energy Award, which is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is organized biannually, starting in 2012, aims to identify a wide variety of best practices in the field of energy and its resources management. It has become a leading global platform for energy sustainability in the MENA region. Through the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), operating under the umbrella of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, a non-profit organization launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in 2014, we work to help communities suffering from water scarcity around the world by providing them with clean water. We have extended our impact beyond our borders. Suqia UAE has positively impacted over 14.9 million people across 37 countries since its launch, providing innovative solutions for water scarcity in developing nations,” added Al Tayer.

“We look forward to welcoming Azerbaijani companies in Dubai in October 2025 to participate in the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX), the largest sustainability and clean energy technology exhibition in the region, organised by DEWA since 1999. I am positive that there is much that Azerbaijani companies can offer to the UAE and the region,” concluded Al Tayer.

HE Mohammed Murad Al Balushi said: ”Strong bilateral economic relations exist between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Azerbaijan. And I believe, this event will lay a groundwork for another productive cooperation between the UAE and Azerbaijan, which will lead to a better future for our peoples. So, I encourage you to explore opportunities existing both in the UAE and Azerbaijan and contribute to the development of mutual investment relationship between our countries.The UAE continues to encourage innovation, science and technology to address many important issues. Among them I would like to mention renewable energy, water security, water recycling, artificial intelligence.”

In his meeting with HE Anar Akhundov, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan and HE Vugar Ahmadov, Chairman and CEO of ‘Azerishq’, the Baku electrical grid operator,  HE Al Tayer  discussed ways of cooperation frameworks in the fields of clean energy, in addition to exchanging experiences and best practices in the energy sector. DEWA is one of the leading utilities globally and currently ranks first globally in 12 key performance indicators in its areas of work, according to a recent study conducted by a specialised international consultant. In 2023, line losses from electricity transmission and distribution networks were reduced to 2.0% compared to 6-7% in Europe and the USA. Water network losses reached 4.6% compared to around 15% in North America. DEWA has achieved a new world record in electricity Customer Minutes Lost (CML) per year. Dubai recorded 1.06 minutes per customer, compared to around 15 minutes recorded by leading utility companies in the European Union.