UAE | Government

Khalifa, Cameron vow to strengthen cooperation

Express commitment to bolstering joint partnerships in defence, trade, climate change

Gulf News Report
Published: 18:12 November 6, 2012

Image Credit: WAM
Shaikh Khalifa received British Prime Minister David Cameron and his accompanying delegation at Rawda Palace yesterday. Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed and Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President’s Representative, and were also present.

Abu Dhabi: The UAE and the UK have expressed their commitment to further strengthen and develop joint partnerships in defence, trade, economy, education, investment and climate change.

A joint communique issued on Tuesday at the end of a two-day visit by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, said: “We have today celebrated the longstanding and deep friendship between the UK and [the] UAE and agreed an ambitious plan to develop our cooperation still further.”

“Our partnership is built on respect for each other’s sovereignty. Both countries have evolved their systems of governance, over time, to reflect their respective traditions and aspirations for the future. We stand together to combat many of the threats to the security of the wider region. We are strongly committed to maintaining tolerant, open [and] outward-looking societies.”

The communique was issued following a meeting between President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and David Cameron, British Prime Minister, at Al Rawda Palace.

General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was present.

They discussed a number of topics related to mutual cooperation and ways to enhance them, in addition to recent international developments, according to official news agency WAM.

Shaikh Khalifa and Cameron stressed the importance of consolidating and strengthening cooperation between the countries in the fields of politics, economy, trade, science and art.

They also expressed their satisfaction with the level of growth reached by bilateral relations, which was reflected on the high volumes of trade between the countries, and achieves their joint vision to enhance economic partnership and expand avenues of investment, especially in the defence and technology sectors.

They pointed out the need to set in place a strategic partnership for supporting economic growth and diversifying sources of technology development.

Shaikh Khalifa and Cameron emphasised the importance of international cooperation and understanding to consolidate safety and security in the region and world within the framework of international resolutions, respecting the sovereignty of nations and working towards world peace.

Shaikh Khalifa said that Cameron’s visit will further bolster and develop mutual coordination, dialogue and cooperation between the UK and the UAE for the mutual interest of both parties.

The joint communique reads: “British Nationals visiting the UAE make up one of the largest visitor groups. They appreciate the UAE’s vibrant society and culture. Nearly two hundred thousand Emiratis visited the UK last year. We want to support and develop this interchange between our people. In the economic sphere, both the UAE and the UK have taken difficult decisions to ensure economic stability. Both have created environments in which investments thrive and both have invested significantly in each other’s economies.

“We collaborate on our mutual defence interests, against external and domestic threats; we are political partners in international fora, where we cooperate together to support the peaceful resolution of conflict. Our partnership as governments is built on our partnership as peoples. To further strengthen and develop this partnership, we will work together to: Deepen our defence ties by; continuing the development of our joint plans for the security of the UAE and wider Gulf region, increasing our joint exercises and training, and by investing in the British military presence in the UAE; to establish a defence industrial partnership that involves close collaboration around Typhoon [combat aircraft from the UK] and a number of new technologies; [and to] grow UAE investment in UK infrastructure and British investment in the UAE in aerospace, ICT, service ventures, communications, munitions and capability, broadening the industrial and business partnerships between UAE and UK companies, aiding technological development and diversification.”

Present during the meeting were Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister; Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Abdul Rahman Ganem Al Mutaiwe’e, UAE Ambassador to the UK; Dominic Jeremy, UK Ambassador to the UAE; and other shaikhs and senior officials.