Dima Al-Khatib: UN office works with Gulf centers on climate solutions

Dima Al-Khatib, director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, said at COP31 that the office is working with Gulf research institutions to disseminate climate solutions. She stressed that overcoming the challenges facing the Global South requires concrete financing mechanisms.

Dima Al-Khatib, director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, said the office is carrying out joint work with research institutions in the Gulf region to highlight solutions developed to address climate change and apply them on a broader scale across the Global South.

In an interview with Anadolu on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, Al-Khatib explained that South-South cooperation enables countries to benefit from one another's experiences, knowledge and good practices in achieving their development goals.

Solutions need concrete financing

The UN official stressed that progress in combating climate change requires support for climate action through concrete financing tools and financial commitments, whether from countries' own resources or international support mechanisms. She noted that Global South countries are among those that have contributed least to the crisis but are suffering its greatest effects.

She added that funding shortages, debt burdens and limited capacities increase these countries' vulnerability, while small island developing states face an extremely critical situation, with climate change representing an "existential issue" for them.

High-level dialogue on climate action for developing countries at COP31 in Antalya

UN Technology Bank and green manufacturing

Al-Khatib said the office is working with the United Nations Technology Bank, which is hosted by Türkiye and supported by its government, to align climate technology solutions with countries' needs as identified through their technology assessments. It is also cooperating with European space agencies to use geospatial data to reduce disaster risks and support adaptation.

She noted that the office is contributing at COP31 to initiatives supporting green manufacturing in developing countries. She expressed support for the goal of making the conference an implementation-focused summit and said COP31 gives the most vulnerable countries "great hope" of linking climate solutions to financing mechanisms.

Photos: Anadolu, UN Climate Change

Dima Al-Khatib: UN office works with Gulf centers on climate solutions