UAE, EU discuss boosting bilateral ties

UAE, EU discuss boosting bilateral ties

ABU DHABI: Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, has led a delegation of senior officials and business leaders to Brussels, Belgium, with the aim of strengthening economic ties and promoting investment opportunities with Belgium and the wider European Union (EU).

During the visit, Al Zeyoudi held a bilateral meeting with Vladis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner of Trade, where he discussed growing trade relations with the EU in addition to sharing updates on preparations for the World Trade Organisation’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) which will be held in Abu Dhabi in 2024.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi also held talks with Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Employment, and Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, in which they outlined opportunities for further joint economic cooperation in priority sectors.

Al Zeyoudi noted that the visit marks an important continuation of longstanding trade relations shared with the EU. “The EU is one of the UAE’s largest trading partners with whom we have recorded strong growth over recent years. We see great importance in strengthening our economic ties with the EU especially in high potential sectors such as digital trade, e-commerce, and innovation where we are actively