UAE And Trinidad And Tobago Strengthen Bilateral Ties During Noura Al Kaabi Visit

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, concluded an official mission to Trinidad and Tobago focused on deepening cooperation with the UAE. The agenda covered investment, energy, infrastructure, digital government, culture, and tourism. The trip reinforced long-term political and economic ties, while also aiming to strengthen people-to-people connections between the two countries and the wider Caribbean region.

Commenting on the visit, Al Kaabi stated, "This visit reflects the UAE’s commitment to building strong partnerships with Trinidad and Tobago. Our partnership extends beyond individual projects and is focused on shaping a future of shared prosperity. By working together across innovation, culture, and sustainable development, we seek to strengthen ties between our peoples and create sustainable opportunities for future generations."

Noura Al Kaabi held detailed talks with Jearlean John, Minister of Works and Infrastructure, and Saddam Hosein, Minister of Land and Legal Affairs, on the Trinidad and Tobago Revitalization Blueprint. The programme includes more than 120 projects designed to diversify the economy beyond oil and gas and to strengthen Trinidad’s position in the Caribbean and Central American region.

During these meetings, both sides examined potential roles for international investors, including partners from the UAE, in delivering the Revitalization Blueprint. Discussions highlighted how Emirati experience in large-scale infrastructure, ports, and land development could support local plans. The exchanges also stressed long-term partnerships and knowledge sharing, rather than focusing only on single projects or short-term engagements.

John led the delegation on a field visit to Invaders Bay in Port of Spain, a state-owned development area earmarked for commercial, residential, and mixed-use schemes. The group later toured Couva Children’s Hospital, a specialised facility for pediatric care offering diagnostic and surgical services. These site visits illustrated the scale of planned social and economic infrastructure within the wider national development agenda.

As part of the visit, Noura Al Kaabi and the delegation focused on digital transformation and cybersecurity cooperation. Al Kaabi met Dominic Smith, Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, to assess joint work on government digitisation, secure data systems, and resilient cyber infrastructure supporting public services and economic activity in Trinidad and Tobago.

A representative from Dalil Information Technologies joined the discussions with Dominic Smith, which centred on modernising national data platforms and enhancing cybersecurity capabilities. Both sides explored potential collaboration on secure digital identities, interoperable government platforms, and advanced protection of critical systems. The conversations drew on UAE experience in digital governance and aimed to create practical, scalable cooperation frameworks.

UAE-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation in diplomacy, culture and tourism

Al Kaabi also held a diplomatic meeting with Sean Sobers, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago. During this engagement, Al Kaabi conveyed the greetings of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The ministers reviewed cooperation in investment promotion, energy, technical cooperation, and sustainable development priorities.

The wider mission formed part of a tour of Caribbean states, led from the UAE side by Noura Al Kaabi and supported by Omar Shehadeh, UAE Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Caribbean and Pacific States. Alongside government dialogues, the delegation aimed to strengthen direct links between societies, institutions, and businesses, helping to build a broader base for long-term bilateral and regional engagement.

Cultural cooperation featured strongly on the programme. Michelle Benjamin, Minister of Culture and Community Development, welcomed the delegation at the National Academy for the Performing Arts. The Trinidadian side presented a special performance of Expressions of a Nation, featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra, which showcased the country’s diverse cultural landscape and creative traditions.

The performance at the National Academy for the Performing Arts underlined shared values and cultural affinities between Trinidad and Tobago and Emirati culture. After the show, Michelle Benjamin guided Noura Al Kaabi and the delegation through the performance centre, highlighting national efforts to support cultural institutions, creative talent, and community participation in arts and heritage programmes.

On 25th January 2026, Noura Al Kaabi travelled to the island of Tobago for a programme centred on heritage, tourism, and coastal development. The delegation visited Fort King George, a heritage site displaying cultural and historical artefacts, where representatives from the Tobago House of Assembly outlined preservation work and tourism planning linked to the Revitalization programme.

Officials from the Tobago House of Assembly briefed Al Kaabi on plans to redevelop Scarborough into a major tourism hub under the same Revitalization framework. The day’s schedule also included visits to the Marina Development and the Buccoo Integrated Facility, which are intended to enhance Tobago’s tourism, maritime services, and community infrastructure while attracting international partnerships.

The visit built on momentum from a November 2025 delegation to the UAE led by Sean Sobers, which focused on areas of mutual interest. Together, the visits reaffirmed a shared commitment to closer cooperation across investment, infrastructure, digital government, culture, and tourism, with both countries viewing sustained engagement as central to advancing joint development goals.

With inputs from WAM