Belgium beyond Chocolate: Innovation for a Happy and Sustainable Society

Abu Dhabi, 16/01/2018: Today VITO announces the official opening of its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates: VITO Arabia Science and Technology Consultancy LLC. After VITO Middle East and VITO Asia, this is the third regional company of VITO. Worldwide we have taken the road to a sustainable society. The United Nations set the global tone with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the targets set by the world towards 2030 to realise sustainable development. In the vision paper Flanders 2050, the Flemish government has made this concrete for Flanders.

VITO wants to cooperate in Flanders as well as on the global level. On the one hand, by using the VITO knowledge and experience with local partners, companies and governments, and on the other hand by opening doors for Flemish cleantech companies on foreign markets via Flanders Cleantech Association and FIT, Flanders Investment and Trade.

Dirk Fransaer, managing director VITO, explains:

"The Arab world, even more than elsewhere, faces the difficult task of switching from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. However, this transition process also offers very great opportunities just because the Gulf States, more than Europe, have cheap solar energy and can drive this transition from this gigantic potential."

With Walter Buydens as CEO, VITO Arabia commences with a head start, thanks to his years of experience in the Arab business world. Walter initially focuses on applications of remote sensing, circular economy, sustainable building materials, optimisation of desalination plants and smart cities. During the official inauguration this afternoon in Abu Dhabi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Budget, Finance and Energy, Bart Tommelein, emphasized the role that VITO Arabia can play for the energy change. "Here too, the United Arab Emirates is working hard on a sustainable energy transition. I see a lot of opportunities to work together in an innovative way, for example in the captation and use of CO₂. This is the start of an important collaboration."

Contact

Dr. Walter J. R. Buydens CEO VITO Arabia

Science and Technology Consultancy LLC

walter.buydens@vito.be

UAE +971 56 39 72127

OMAN +968 9866 6809

Belgium +32 476 532 86