UAE Strengthens Strategic Ties with Belgium in Energy, Water, and Sustainability Sectors
Brussels, The Gulf Observer: A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, concluded a successful official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation in energy, water, and sustainability.
The visit follows the recent official trip to Abu Dhabi by Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Development Cooperation of Belgium, during which he met with H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During the visit, the UAE delegation held high-level meetings with senior Belgian officials, including Mathieu Bihet, Minister of Energy, and Ambassador Willem van de Voorde, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment, alongside leaders from Belgium’s energy, sustainability, and academic sectors.
Discussions focused on enhancing strategic partnerships to support energy security, accelerate the clean energy transition, and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As part of the program, Abdulla Balalaa toured the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, accompanied by Johan Klaps, Chairman of the port authority. The visit also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Khalifa University (KU) and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), a leading sustainability research institute in Flanders, aimed at strengthening joint research and innovation for a sustainable future.
The delegation also attended a high-level reception bringing together senior Belgian and Emirati stakeholders from government, business, and academia, providing a platform to highlight opportunities for collaboration and reinforce bilateral ties across energy, water, and sustainability sectors.
Commenting on the visit, Abdulla Balalaa said: “This visit reflects the UAE’s unwavering commitment to strengthening ties with Belgium and working together on areas of shared strategic interest, including nuclear and renewable energy, water, and innovation. The cooperation between our institutions demonstrates our collective determination to translate dialogue into action and build long-term partnerships that benefit both countries and contribute to sustainability goals and global economic growth.”
The visit reaffirmed the UAE’s role as a trusted international partner in advancing the global energy transition and laid the foundation for long-term institutional, scientific, and commercial collaboration with Belgium. The UAE delegation included senior representatives from Masdar, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), and Khalifa University.
