First UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue held

London, The Gulf Observer: HH Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, led the first UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue, held here today.

The Strategic Dialogue builds on the visit of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the UK in September 2021, during which both countries’ leaders signed the ‘Partnership for the Future,’ which serves as a roadmap to drive progress in bilateral cooperation between two nations that have developed a special relationship over decades of close collaboration and historic friendship. The UK is one of the UAE’s most important strategic allies, with the two countries sharing common concerns and interests, and working together to promote regional security, generate economic prosperity, and address pressing global challenges.

According to Emirates News Agency, the two sides highlighted the strength of the bilateral relationship, noting the breadth of collaboration between the two countries, their shared history, the depth of friendships and people-to-people relations, and enduring commitment to deepening ties. Both sides welcomed the growing partnership across a range of sectors, commending the inaugural Strategic Dialogue as a milestone in the bilateral relationship.

Against the backdrop of the Strategic Dialogue, Abdullah bin Zayed said, “The enduring ties between the UAE and UK further elevated by the Partnership for the Future provide a model platform of international cooperation to address the pressing challenges of our time and pursue opportunities that promise to bolster prosperity for our peoples across diverse areas of cooperation, including energy, climate change mitigation, science and technology, security, and people-to-people ties.”

The UAE top diplomat added, “Our two countries share a dynamic vision for the years of development that await. The UAE will continue to work alongside the UK in identifying innovative fields to foster bilateral cooperation and advance our shared values to achieve international peace, security, and growth.”

On international developments of mutual concern, the two ministers welcomed cooperation between the UK and UAE in multilateral fora and emphasised the importance of dialogue and building bridges to enhance regional peace and prosperity. The officials discussed the importance of continued coordination at the United Nations Security Council, and the UK side commended the UAE’s role on the recent UN Security Council resolutions on Afghanistan.

Turning to the issue of climate change mitigation, both sides underscored their commitment to combating climate change and collaborating on long-term projects that facilitate a just energy transition. In this regard, officials expressed their desire to advance ongoing close cooperation on clean energy, climate finance, adaptation, nature, and food systems. Officials also discussed the UAE’s ambitious agenda for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will be hosted at Expo City Dubai in November 2023.

Praising trade and investment links between the UK and the UAE, the ministers noted the success of increased trade in goods and services between the two countries, currently at an all-time high of ₤21.6 billion (AED 99.3 billion) during the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022. They welcomed the success of the ‘Sovereign Investment Partnership’ signed in 2021 and outlined the UK’s and the UAE’s support for expanding trade and investment relations between the two countries in areas of mutual benefit, including through the fourth round of UK-GCC FTA negotiations that will be hosted by the UK later this year.

The two sides concluded their discussions by reiterating their commitment to continuing to engage in close bilateral coordination on political, economic, and security matters and dialogue on issues of regional and international concern.