Mona Al Hammoudi (Abu Dhabi)
Today (Monday), His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, will visit the French capital, Paris, for three days, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he will meet with senior French officials. Your Excellency Emmanuel Macron, friendship relations and prospects for cooperation and joint action in various aspects, especially in the fields of future energy, climate change and advanced technology.
The selection of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, to France on his first foreign visit since his assumption of the presidency of the state is an expression of the high and advanced level of the strategic and historical partnership relations that bind the two friendly countries in various fields and fields and their convergent visions on many issues regional and international.
The bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of France are a model for the long-term friendship between the two countries, and they are united by strategic cooperation in various fields. , to the military, political, educational and legal sectors and cooperation in the fields of antiquities, energy, tourism, the medical sector, and others.
Historical Relations
The relationship between the UAE and France is also a distinguished model for the level reached by the historical and strategic relations that unite the two countries, and their future prospects. The two countries have a long-term friendship and strategic cooperation in various fields, during which the leaders of the two countries made great efforts to strengthen bilateral relations to achieve the interests of the two friendly peoples. Until the link between them became the bridge of strategic success for the Republic of France in the Gulf region, where the relationship was established since 1971, whose foundations were laid by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, who was keen to establish mutual respect, cooperation and common interests in the relationship of the UAE with France.
joint projects
The bilateral relations between the UAE and France currently include a wide range of sectors, such as cultural and university cooperation, the presence of permanent French forces in Abu Dhabi, the establishment of joint projects in the field of renewable energy, cooperation in the field of modern technologies, artificial intelligence, food security, health and space, and others. Previously, it was limited to the import of fuels and cooperation in the field of security.
The United Arab Emirates and France hold regular high-level consultations, in order to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries. The strategic dialogue between the two countries ensures the practical follow-up of the main projects that underpin the bilateral relationship between the two countries. In this spirit, France and the United Arab Emirates adopted in June 2020 a new roadmap for their strategic partnership for the next ten years, 2020-2030.
The UAE-French Strategic Dialogue meetings are held annually with the aim of developing bilateral relations between the two countries, discussing opportunities for cooperation and coordination and continuing constructive cooperation in a number of projects, initiatives and files that reflect diversity in the areas of cooperation, which have recently been strengthened in the field of sustainable energy and climate action based on the Emirati experience over a period of time. 15 years ago, investing in solar energy.
Cultural Partnership
The cultural partnership between the UAE and the French Republic has witnessed important developments in recent years, and in October 2018, the year of Emirati-French cultural cooperation was announced in Paris, and in December 2018, the UAE became an associate member of the International Organization of la Francophonie, and the two countries bring together advanced cultural ties in various fields. Including the Scientific Council, where there are 60,000 students in the UAE studying the French language, in addition to 7 schools with a French curriculum with about ten thousand students, and the presence of the “Insead Business School”, the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University and the Louvre Museum, which was able to make its own mark on the cultural scene in the Emirates.
35 thousand French
The United Arab Emirates hosts the largest expatriate French community in the countries of the Arab Gulf, and includes approximately 35,000 French registered in the register of French residents abroad. Throughout the country, UAE nationals can enter France without a visa and are allowed to stay in France for up to 3 months.
On November 8, 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron participated in the opening of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, whose construction cost exceeded one billion dollars, which French President Macron described as a “bridge between civilizations.”
At a conference on cultural heritage in conflict, which was held in Abu Dhabi on 2 and 3 December 2016, the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) was established, where the UAE and France contributed $45 million in cooperation with UNESCO, and the UAE contributed $45 million. 5 million euros to support the Arab World Institute in Paris in 2017, and in the same year the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Hall was opened at the Louvre Museum in Paris. In addition, the UAE contributed to the restoration of the Imperial Theater of the Palace of Fontainebleau near Paris with a contribution of $ 10 million euros, and accordingly the theater was named after the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him.
the trade exchange
The economic relations between the UAE and the Republic of France are considered strategic in terms of the level of investment, bilateral agreements and exchange. The volume of trade exchange between the UAE and France increased to about 15 billion euros, including 1.4 billion during the last visit of the French President to the Emirates, after it was less than 7 billion euros in the past.
The value of the total non-oil trade between the two countries amounted to about $7.5 billion in 2019, while the total UAE investment flows in France amounted to about $172.9 million between 2016 and 2020, while the total French investment flows in the UAE amounted to about $3.123 billion. Between 2016 and 2020.
The sectors of renewable energy, coal, oil and gas, consumer products, textiles, transportation and storage are among the most important investment sectors in France. Moreover, the number of French companies investing in the UAE reached 207 companies until 2019, while the total number of Emirati companies that invested in France 21 companies.
The UAE occupies the first ranks among the commercial markets of France in the Arabian Gulf, as the volume of bilateral trade exchanges has increased after five consecutive years of continuous decline. French exports to the UAE are diversified, and the three main exporting sectors that account for 70% of France’s sales include production goods, chemicals, perfumes and cosmetics, and finally textiles and clothing. On the other hand, hydrocarbons account for the largest share of UAE imports to France, estimated at 1.5 billion euros.
The UAE is currently home to more than six hundred branches of French companies (an increase of 10% in one year), most of which are affiliated with the major French group included in the CAC 40 index. The UAE is one of the major investor countries from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in France.
political field
The UAE and France are committed to continuously strengthening the political and commercial relations between them, in appreciation and belief in the common values of culture, civilization and economy between the UAE and France through cooperation, coordination, and keenness on consultation between the two friendly countries on many issues and future directions, strengthening the spirit of international cooperation and striving to achieve stability, security and prosperity in All over the world, the two countries have worked together to advance peace processes to contribute to strengthening regional and international stability. This is due to the presence of common visions of peace issues in the region, and there is a French appreciation of the UAE’s vision to reduce escalation in the region.
Bilateral Agreements
The two countries concluded a number of joint bilateral agreements, including: an agreement to protect and encourage investment, an agreement to avoid double taxation, and an air services agreement. In December 2021, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of 13 cooperation agreements and memoranda The understanding between the UAE and France contributes to strengthening the prospects for strategic partnership between the two countries, including:
A memorandum of understanding between Mubadala and the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery.
A memorandum of understanding between Mubadala Investment Company, BPI France and BPI France.
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and the Ministry of Economy and Finance in France.
A cooperation agreement between ADNOC and Total Energy.
A contract between Borouge and Technip to build a world-class ethane cracker for the expansion of the Borouge 4 project.
A memorandum of understanding between Masdar and Engy on a strategic alliance.
– Agreement for the purchase of aircraft and related products and services between the UAE Ministry of Defense and Dassault Aviation.
An agreement on the supply of Rafale weapons equipment between the UAE Ministry of Defense and MBDA.
An agreement to purchase H225M helicopters and related services between the UAE Ministry of Defense and Airbus Helicopters.
– Memorandum of Understanding between Abu Dhabi Holding Company and the French Ministry of Economy and Finance.
– Amendment to the agreement concluded between the governments of the UAE and the French Republic regarding the Louvre Abu Dhabi, signed on March 6, 2007.
3- A “letter of intent” regarding cooperation in the field of lunar exploration between the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center” and the National Center for Space Studies in France.
A memorandum of understanding between the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and Electricites de France in the field of nuclear energy.
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