Day 2 of COP28 UAE started on Friday with kings, presidents, and prime ministers entering the gates of Expo City Dubai.
Together with their delegations and high-ranking officials, world leaders walked past the country flags that line the pavement leading to the heart of the sprawling Expo site. And conversations among these movers and shakers appeared to have started right on the walk itself.
Here are some photos capturing the leaders’ arrival at COP28:
The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is seen walking with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein and other leaders:
Here are photos of King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the UAE on Thursday evening, is also seen:
Here’s Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni:
The COP28 conference kicked off on Thursday with an early victory as nations agreed to launch a “loss and damage” fund for vulnerable countries devastated by natural disasters.
But delegates face two weeks of tough negotiations on an array of issues that have long plagued climate talks, starting with the future of oil, gas and coal.
The spotlight now turns to more than 140 kings, presidents and prime ministers who will address delegates today and Saturday.
Britain’s King Charles III will kick off those addresses, followed by leaders from nations including the likes of Brazil, Kenya and Tonga.
But the climate crisis will share the agenda with the conflict in Gaza.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed on Thursday and will be among the speakers addressing the COP28 conference today.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas had also been scheduled to speak but his office told AFP that he was no longer going and his foreign minister would be in Dubai instead.
