Prince William plants trees, builds bridges on UAE visit

Prince William plants trees, builds bridges on UAE visit

DUBAI: Prince William made a climate-focused visit to the United Arab Emirates yesterday as post-Brexit Britain seeks to strengthen relations with the wealthy Gulf state. The duke of Cambridge, second in line to the British throne, visited an Abu Dhabi mangrove park before heading off to Dubai’s Expo, where the UK pavilion was marking a “national day”.

He was expected to discuss his Earthshot Prize, which rewards innovative solutions to environmental problems, and his United for Wildlife scheme with UAE officials. William’s first official visit to the oil-rich former British protectorate bolsters ties after the UAE pledged billions of dollars in investment in UK industries in September.

The two countries also have strong defense links. The UAE was hit by a series of drone-and-missile attacks by Yemen rebels last month, while its relations with Gulf neighbor Iran are tense. However, the prince’s visit concentrated largely on environmental issues as he planted saplings at Jubail Mangrove Park with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi executive office. They “discussed their work on globally impactful sustainability initiatives”, the UAE’s official WAM news agency said.

William tweeted: “The Mangrove Initiative will focus on sustainability and preserving the natural environment. “These parks