Emirati-designated COP28 leader forcefully denies report UAE wanted to seek oil deals in summit

By JON GAMBRELL and MALAK HARB
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Emirati president-designate for the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate talks has forcefully denied a report alleging his nation planned to use the summit to strike oil and gas deals, a day before the summit was due to begin. Sultan al-Jaber, who also leads the massive state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., called the allegations Wednesday from a BBC report “an attempt to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency” before the talks begin Thursday. The report cited what it described as “leaked briefing documents” the broadcaster described as showing the Emirates planned to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations. The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.