Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, has described relations between Bhutan and the United Arab Emirates as strong and steadily expanding, highlighting significant opportunities to deepen cooperation across sustainability, renewable energy, trade, and investment.
Tobgay stressed the need to enhance bilateral engagement, particularly in key economic sectors, citing Bhutan’s vast renewable energy potential as a major area of collaboration.
“We need to do more in terms of trade and investments,” he said, pointing to Bhutan’s fast-flowing rivers as a critical natural resource capable of generating clean hydropower that can support the production of green hydrogen and other downstream sustainable industries.
The Prime Minister noted that Bhutan has an estimated renewable energy potential of nearly 40 GW. Currently, the country has installed capacity of about 3.5 GW and plans to add a further 20 GW over the next 15 years. He said this expansion could support the development of green hydrogen, green fertilisers, sustainable aviation fuel, green data centres, and artificial intelligence computing powered by renewable energy.
Highlighting Bhutan’s environmental credentials, Tobgay said the country remains a global leader in sustainability, with 70 percent forest cover and a carbon-negative status, sequestering five times more carbon than it emits. He added that strategic partnerships with the UAE could help sustain and strengthen this record through investments in renewable energy and associated green industries.
Tourism was also identified as a priority area for cooperation. Tobgay said Bhutan’s high-value, low-impact tourism model presents strong opportunities for increased visitor flows and investments, particularly from the UAE, including in wellness tourism across the Himalayan region.
In addition, he pointed to emerging areas of collaboration such as carbon credit trading, organic farming, and environmental conservation, noting that these sectors offer substantial long-term growth potential for both nations.
Reflecting on his participation at WGS 2026, the Prime Minister said the summit provides an important platform for dialogue, idea exchange, and strengthening international partnerships. He added that the event enables leaders to discuss governance, development strategies, and future visions, while offering Bhutan an opportunity to share its development journey and sustainability-led growth model.
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