Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom from April 30 to May 1 upon an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II.

This is the first state visit Shaikh Khalifa will pay to the UK since the visit of the Late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1989.

The visit is an important indicator to the strong relations that bind the UAE and the UK and the continuous efforts made to enhance and develop them.

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, said: “Shaikh Khalifa’s official visit to the UK comes as a response to the invitation extended by Queen Elizabeth II. The visit is also a witness to the deep historical relations binding the two countries together and the great ongoing cooperation between the two countries.”

Shaikh Abdullah added that the UAE under the wise leadership of Shaikh Khalifa is committed to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries on all levels, while especially concentrating on trade, education, regional and international security.

The UAE and UK are seeking to enhance trade to reach Dh 70 billion in 2015. The UAE is considered the biggest importer from the UK in the Middle East and North Africa. UK exports to the UAE grew by 9 per cent last year. There are 170 air flights between the two countries every week.

There are 5,000 British companies in the UAE and 100,000 British expatriates living and working in the country. The UAE also receives more than one million British tourists every year, and 50,000 UAE nationals visit the UK as tourists each year.

The UAE is an important investor in the UK economy. Large sums of capital are pumped into the economy by the UAE and work opportunities are provided and contributing to long-term economic growth.

The value of UAE investments in the UK exceed £5 billion (Dh27.7 billion). These investments include the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) in the North Sea, the Dubai International Ports projects in London Gate Way, which is one of the biggest individual projects in the UK, offering 35,000 jobs, and Dubai International Ports Containers Station – Southampton which is a joint venture between Dubai International Ports and Associated British Ports, among many others.