The top diplomats from UAE and UK reiterated their commitment to the relationship and welcomed the growing partnership across a range of sectors, welcoming the inaugural Strategic Dialogue as an important moment in the bilateral relationship…reports Asian Lite News
UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with his British counterpart James Cleverly for the first UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue in London.
The Strategic Dialogue, according to a joint communique, builds on the visit of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in September 2021, during which both countries’ leaders agreed to establish a Partnership for the Future.
During the meeting, the top diplomats of UA and UK underscored the strength of the bilateral relationship, noting the breadth of the collaboration between the two countries, their shared history, and enduring commitment to deepening ties and enhancing people-to-people relations.
The ministers reiterated their commitment to the relationship and welcomed the growing partnership across a range of sectors, welcoming the inaugural Strategic Dialogue as an important moment in the bilateral relationship.
They agreed on the need for cooperation to tackle global challenges.
On COP28, the upcoming UN climate summit hosted by the UAE, both ministers discussed the importance of an inclusive and ambitious agenda. Both ministers reiterated the importance of increased ambition and implementation in this critical decade and the need to deliver a robust and unified response to the Global Stocktake to close the ambition gaps in mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, including keeping 1.5C in reach; and to halt and reverse global forest and biodiversity loss.
They reiterated the need for accelerating climate action and collaborating on long-term projects that enhance cooperation on clean energy, climate finance, adaptation, nature, and food systems, and agreed to further elaborate these partnerships.
The two sides noted the success of increased trade in goods and services between the two countries, currently at an all-time high of £21.6 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 and the UAE’s support for expanding and deepening trade and investment relations between the two countries in areas of mutual benefit.
The ministers praised the existing partnerships between the two countries in the fields of energy and clean energy, which complement and strengthen the two countries’ ambitious climate goals and transition towards a low-carbon future.
Both sides expressed readiness to hold the 8th session of the UAE-UK Joint Economic Committee (JEC) this year.
On the issue of illicit finance, both sides reiterated full commitment in their work towards solidifying the cooperation in the area, under the umbrella of the UAE-UK Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows signed in September 2021.
The foreign ministers discussed the importance of coordination at the United Nations Security Council and commended the UAE’s leadership on the recent UNSC resolutions on Afghanistan.
The ministers also held detailed talks on shared priorities at the UNSC, including advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda, promoting tolerance and counterextremism, and addressing the impacts of climate change on international peace and security, as well as conflict prevention and peaceful solutions, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and addressing intolerance, hate speech, discrimination, and all forms of extremism.
The ministers also held detailed talks on regional security and stability, and emphasised the importance of dialogue and building bridges to achieve regional peace and prosperity, including in their discussions on Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
They agreed on the need to work together, including through the UN, to support diplomatic initiatives and channels aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, in line with the principles of the UN Charter. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation across domestic and regional security issues.
Ahead of the meeting of foreign ministers, the Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Tariq Ahmad, and Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, met to discuss the progress made towards the Partnership for the Future.
While celebrating the progress in the relationship, both Lord Ahmad and Dr Gargash underlined their ambition to deepen cooperation and expand bilateral collaboration. The two sides discussed the importance of collaboration on energy and climate change mitigation, development, science and technology, security, and consular affairs. Moreover, they agreed on the importance of maintaining regular communication to ensure further progress under the pillars of the Partnership.”