Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri speaks during "Policy Dialogue I: Tapping into the Potential of the Middle East" at the Belt and Road Summit 2023 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on Sept 13, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
The United Arab Emirates is hopeful that its expanding trade engagements with China within the Belt and Road Initiative framework will also bring more inclusivity to the country and the Greater Bay Area, according to a visiting senior UAE government official.
The UAE is also preparing for its accession to the BRICS group of fast-developing economies on Jan 1 next year, which UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri is hopeful “will bring in a lot of connectivity” and knowledge transfers that are expected to take place on BRICS-related agreements
“What’s really brought us here is the relationship that we have, the economic relationship, the diplomatic relationship we have with Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area since His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, visited (China) in 2019. He signed over 19 MOUs and agreements,” UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri told China Daily on the sidelines of the 8th Belt and Road Initiative Summit in Hong Kong.
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One of them, which he regarded as “the most important one”, was the investment protection agreement in 2019. He said the agreement caused them to look at the BRI and aspects of the trades that they were doing.
“The UAE today contributed to trade with BRI $305 billion. That’s a huge amount compared to the last couple of decades, and will play a major role as well in the next decade … more inclusiveness, more people together,” said Al Marri.
The UAE is also preparing for its accession to the BRICS group of fast-developing economies on Jan 1 next year, which Al Marri is hopeful “will bring in a lot of connectivity” and knowledge transfers that are expected to take place on BRICS-related agreements.
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“I think the UAE’s role in international diplomacy, when we see the world, we see it (in terms) of the multipolar world. But we need to be more inclusive, we need to connect people to people, and we need to have different ways and modes of engagement,” said Al Marri.
“I think one aspect we’re looking at … is the policies (which are) going to be very progressive on building talent and building youth, job creation for the region, for the world as well and the South-South cooperation,” he added.
And as the UAE prepares to host the United Nations Climate Summit, or COP28, this November, Al Marri stressed the importance of its cooperation with China on several engagements such as green hydrogen and tech.
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“I think when we look at the climate change aspects, climate change cannot be addressed without China. And I think that’s something, which is an important aspect, where we want to bring as well part of the people-to-people engagement, inclusiveness in the multipolar world as UAE’s hosting the COP28,” said Al Marri.
“We’ve seen a lot of green tech aspects from China to help, (and China has helped with) aspects of climate change and (with) really being inclusive of our targets (to be) net-zero by 2050,” he added.
