UAE participates in 2nd Joint Ministerial Meeting of GCC-Central Asian Countries Strategic Dialogue

 

The United Arab Emirates participated in the second Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Central Asian Countries' Strategic Dialogue held on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The UAE was represented by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, who joined fellow GCC ministers and senior officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

The meetings aim to strengthen joint cooperation in various fields between the GCC countries and the Central Asian nations. Key topics discussed included trade and investment promotion, economic cooperation, food security, energy, transportation and connectivity.

Ministers reviewed trade flows between the two regions and ways to increase the current volume of non-oil trade. They explored opportunities for partnership in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure development. Discussions also centered around leveraging each other's comparative economic advantages and removing barriers for businesses on both sides.

GCC members value their relations with Central Asian countries and wish to qualitatively enhance engagement across multiple domains. Since gaining independence over 30 years ago, these countries have transformed rapidly and offer promising investment prospects. This high-level dialogue platform will help catalyze greater collaboration to mutual benefit. 

In conclusion, the UAE supports strengthened bonds between Gulf and Central Asian states. It is committed to exploring all avenues for advancing cooperation aligned with its interests and priorities in Asia, an important partner for global economic growth.