EU-UAE Delegation Commemorates 10 Years Of Diplomatic Ties With Majlis Event

The European Union Delegation in the United Arab Emirates marked a decade since its diplomatic mission began in Abu Dhabi. This milestone signifies a new chapter in the EU-UAE strategic partnership. To celebrate, Lucie Berger, EU Ambassador to the UAE, hosted an EU-UAE Majlis on Thursday. The event welcomed Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and Special Envoy to the EU, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf.

The gathering followed the historic EU-GCC Summit in October. Leaders from both regions convened to discuss shared geopolitical challenges and explore future cooperation opportunities. Ambassador Berger highlighted that the strategic partnership between the EU and UAE has strengthened over recent years due to shared interests and values.

Ambassador Berger stated: "The inaugural EU-GCC Summit marked a significant step forward, solidifying our joint commitment to peace, security, and sustainable growth." She emphasised that the UAE is not only a partner but also a key player in addressing global issues like climate change and trade diversification.

Luigi Di Maio commented on the growing momentum between the EU, UAE, and GCC countries. He noted: "The relations between the EU, the UAE and the GCC countries are witnessing an unprecedented momentum leading to the historic EU-GCC summit in Brussels on 16 October." This summit was a first-of-its-kind meeting for leaders from these regions.

The Majlis celebrated achievements over the past ten years while looking towards future collaboration. Despite being relatively recent, formal diplomatic ties have built upon deep historical relations between UAE and EU member states. The partnership spans various policy areas such as trade, energy, climate change, economic diversification, and cultural exchanges.

In 2023 alone, bilateral trade between the EU and UAE reached around €75 billion. This makes UAE the top export destination and investment partner for the EU within MENA region. The relationship underscores both political significance and economic potential of this cooperation.

Future Prospects

The focus now shifts towards exploring new sectors like artificial intelligence and emerging technologies alongside security and defence collaborations. These efforts aim at ensuring that their partnership remains dynamic amidst evolving global landscapes.

The establishment of this delegation was only second among EU diplomatic missions in this region. It highlights how crucial Emirates are politically as well as economically from an EU perspective while reinforcing commitment towards strengthening bilateral cooperation further.

The UAE hosts diplomatic missions from 26 different EU Member States too which reflects strong ties already existing between them all along with mutual aspirations moving forward together positively impacting not just their regions but globally too.

With inputs from WAM