On July 31, CELIOS and TRENDS officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen strategic research collaboration in the fields of energy transition and economic development. The signing ceremony, attended by representatives from both institutions and honored by H.E. Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Indonesia, marks a significant step toward building long-term, knowledge-based partnerships between institutions of the Global South. This MoU lays the foundation for a knowledge-based partnership between two institutions from the Global South, aiming to advance relevant, innovative, and impactful research that addresses the challenges of sustainable development including Green Industrial Policy.