InFocus | Sweden
On the right track
The UAE is Sweden's secondlargest trading partner in the Middle East. In 2006, Swedish exports to the UAE grew by 36 per cent to Dh2.3 billion, according to Bruno Beijer, Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE.
- By Esha Nag, Staff Writer
- Published: 00:00 June 5, 2007
- Bruno Beijer, Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE.
- Image Credit:
Relations between the UAE and Sweden are thriving.
The UAE is Sweden's secondlargest trading partner in the Middle East. In 2006, Swedish exports to the UAE grew by 36 per cent to Dh2.3 billion, according to Bruno Beijer, Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE.
"Many Swedish companies see the UAE as an ideal hub for regional business," says Beijer, who arrived in the UAE in late 2005. "It has been a true experience to live and work in the middle of such a dynamic development. I sometimes talk about the 'wow factor' when people visit the UAE for the first time, and see for themselves the impressive development taking place here," says Beijer.
There are around 2,400 Swedes living in the UAE. The UAE and Sweden are small nations where globalisation is the generator for wealth.
"Sweden has been dependent on global trade for over a century. We know that our survival and well-being depends on us remaining competitive. Swedish companies such as Volvo, Ericsson and Ikea are known for their quality, reliability, value-for-money and long-term commitment. Whenever you look at international rankings in terms of competitiveness and innovation, you will find that Sweden ranks highly. The reason is simple — we have to be up-front to survive as an industrial nation," says Beijer.
Industrial sector
In the industrial sector, Swedish equipment finds wide usage in construction activities globally. Many of the cranes that move containers in ports in the UAE come from Sweden. "Swedish professionals who have come to the UAE to live and work have been one of our best exports. A few are top managers in local companies, while others work for Swedish companies in the UAE. There are architects, doctors, dentists, healthcare experts, pilots, cabin crew etc. They like living and working in the UAE and contribute to growing tourism from Sweden," says Beijer.
In addition to technologies represented by Swedish companies already in the UAE, Sweden could contribute more to the developmental efforts of the UAE in areas such as IT and healthcare, says Beijer. "I would also encourage closer ties between the educational sector in both countries. UAE nationals have been studying medicine in Gothenburg for more than a decade now. I would welcome other students too. We are also looking at how to promote our environmental know-how in the region. One example — among many — that comes immediately to my mind is insulation. Due to our climatic conditions, we have become experts at insulating our buildings against the cold. The same technologies could be used to insulate buildings in the UAE against the heat. In the environmental field we are two countries who are seeking solutions on roughly the same scales to achieve a more sustainable development. This sameness of perspective and scale could be a strength, be it in the field of energy conservation, new and renewable energy sources, establishing standards or creating trans-border co-operation to handle regional environmental problems," he says.
The Swedish Embassy in the UAE is ready to assist UAE companies and investors to forge partnerships in Sweden. "Together with the UAE Embassy in Stockholm we will be able to find growing avenues for trade and investment," says Beijer. According to the Ambassador, Sweden is also looking at welcoming more tourists from the UAE. "We have a lot to show you. Some of it is quite exotic such as the Ice Hotel, or the thousands of islands along the coasts or even the wilderness of the country's north. Some parts of Stockholm — which is also the 'Silicon Valley' of northern Europe — is like a museum of past centuries," he says.
According to Beijer the meeting of minds between Swedes and UAE nationals contributes in a big way to UAE-Swedish relations. "Visits are excellent vehicles for greater understanding and cooperation.
Recently I hosted a regional meeting for Swedish Ambassadors in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as colleagues from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. This reflected the rapidly growing importance of the UAE and the Gulf in the Swedish perspective. I enjoyed placing in front of my colleagues a country going full speed ahead towards a new future," he says.
The Swedish deputy minister for trade visited the UAE recently, and later this year there are possibilities of more high-level delegations from Sweden visiting the UAE.
The Swedish Nobel Foundation will also be hosting a very special exhibition in Abu Dhabi spotlighting Nobel prize winners under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The event is expected to attract many prominent visitors to the UAE. "We will also be receiving chancellors of Swedish Technical Universities, who are coming here to network. Together with the Swedish Business Council and the Swedish Trade Council we will host a gathering of Swedish companies seeking partnerships in the UAE in November. In 2006, around 80 companies were present for the meet, and this year I expect more. In December I hope to welcome the Swedish National Symphony Orchestra comprising, in all, 110 musicians, to Abu Dhabi. This is the result of a very fruitful collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation," says Beijer.
Creative partners
The Swedish Embassy has also been fortunate to work with highly creative partners in the UAE. "Earlier this year we were happy to have a famous Swedish photographer exhibiting photographs of food here. Cultural exchange can be many things. One that I appreciate very much is efforts being made to publish Arabic translations of Swedish children's literature. We have a wonderful tradition in this field which we now can start sharing with children (and grown-ups) in the UAE," says Beijer.
Since it started functioning in 2002, one of the main tasks of the Swedish Embassy in Abu Dhabi has been to promote understanding between the UAE and Sweden. "I am always keen to promote Swedish technology and quality. There are many areas for closer ties — healthcare, environment and education, to name a few; or perhaps as contributors to peacekeeping activities around the world. The Swedish Embassy also works closely with the Swedish Business Council, and the newly established Swedish Trade Council in Dubai to promote trade. I recently visited Sweden with the CEO of the Trade Council, where we met more than 90 companies interested in doing business in the UAE," says Beijer. This is promising for furthering trade and bilateral relations between the two countries according to Beijer.
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