Sheikh Mohamed's state visit to France: UAE President honoured at banquet after several agreements signed

Paris: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday attended a banquet in his honour hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The dinner followed the signing of two energy agreements between the UAE and France, as well as the launch of the UAE-France Business Council, all witnessed by the two leaders. Several other agreements were also signed.

During the dinner, held at Palace of Versailles, Sheikh Mohamed extended thanks and appreciation for the warm welcome extended to the UAE delegation.

He said that Emirati-French ties were based on confidence, credibility and mutual respect.

“It is true that we have political and economic ties, but our cultural cooperation represents our utmost collaboration and this mirrors the quality of this strategic partnership.”

The UAE President expressed his confidence that through joint action, the two countries can provide more opportunities for enhancing in their relations, and jointly contribute to establishing peace and security in the region and the world.

President Macron welcomed Sheikh Mohamed to France and expressed his happiness at meeting him, describing the visit as ‘historic’.

Energy agreements signed

Earlier on Monday, Sheikh Mohamed and Macron witnessed the signing of two agreements, the first a Comprehensive Strategic Energy Partnership (CSEP) between the UAE and France, and the second an agreement between ADNOC and TotalEnergies.

The UAE-France CSEP focuses on enhancing energy security, energy affordability and decarbonisation, as well as progressive climate action ahead of COP28 (28th Session of the Conference of the Parties), which is set to take place in the UAE in 2023.

The landmark partnership builds on the strong, close and long-standing bilateral relations between both countries and leverages the UAE’s position as a responsible and reliable supplier of energy. The UAE holds the sixth-largest crude oil reserves in the world and is committed to enabling global energy security.

Through a balanced and pragmatic approach to the energy transition, the UAE is expanding its crude oil production capacity to five million barrels per day while growing its global renewable energy capacity from 23 gigawatts (GW) to over 100GW by 2030.

The UAE is also investing over $50 billion in clean energy projects in six continents, including in 27 climate vulnerable island nations, through Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, as well as other UAE platforms.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, as well as Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Energy Transition.

The UAE is represented by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), while France is represented by the Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industrial & Digital Sovereignty, and the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

Dr. Al Jaber said: “The UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continues to consolidate its position as a reliable energy provider and key contributor to global energy security while advancing progressive climate action. France is a close, long-standing strategic partner of the UAE, and this Comprehensive Strategic Energy Partnership provides a robust platform for us to work together to better deliver secure, affordable and sustainable energy required to drive economic growth and prosperity for our countries and the world.

“The landmark agreement deepens the cooperation between our countries across the energy value chain and unlocks technology and energy solutions that are good for the climate and the economy. In line with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership, we will continue to build bridges of partnership across conventional and new energies, as well as capitalise on the economic opportunities of the energy transition, strengthen industrial cooperation and drive sustainable growth.”

The UAE is adopting a low-carbon pathway to a high-growth destination and is aiming to accelerate progress on this journey as hosts of COP28.

The country was the first in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, the first to commit to an economy-wide reduction in emissions and the first to announce a Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, which it is leveraging as a catalyst for low-carbon growth, new technologies, new industries, new skills and new jobs.

UAE-France Business Council launched

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, on Monday launched the UAE-France Business Council, in the presence of Sheikh Mohamed Macron, on the sidelines of an official banquet held at the Palace of Versailles.

The Council, chaired by Dr. Al Jaber and Pouyanné, aims to strengthen the economic relations between the two countries in the fields of energy, transport and investment.

Driven by both private sectors, the Council shows the willingness of both countries to reinforce their economic relationship.

Its aims are to promote economic exchanges, to convey the voice of the UAE and French businesses to the highest public authorities as well as to identify and implement private cross-investment projects.

The Council comprises 18 CEOs from France and the UAE, selected for their interest in strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

Council members will meet at least once a year, in the presence of their respective ambassadors, alternating between the UAE and France. The next plenary session of the Council will be held in the UAE in May or June 2023.

To set up a concrete action plan for the strengthening of the UAE-France economic relationship, the Council created three working groups dedicated to energy, industry, technology, transportation, and investment. Each working group will make clear recommendations to foster economic exchange between the UAE and France in their respective fields.

Other agreements signed

The UAE and France on Monday signed a number of agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral relations in various fields as part of Sheikh Mohamed’s visit.

The agreements included:

1. A letter of intent regarding granting permission to family members of staff of diplomatic missions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to engage in business. They were signed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna.

2. A joint declaration on cooperation between the UAE and France in the higher education field, signed by Sheikh Abdullah and Colonna.

3. An agreement between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Avnor Group for cooperation in the field of standardisation.

4. An agreement between the Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and the French Government in the field of climate action, signed by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Energy Transition.

5. A road map for cooperation between the Tawazun Economic Council of the UAE and the General Directorate of Armaments in the French Ministry of Defence, signed by Ahmed Al Haragreementdi, CEO of the Council, and armament engineer Thierry Carlier, Director of International Development in the French General Directorate for Armaments.

6. An agreement between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) on cooperation in lunar exploration. It was signed by Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General of the MBRSC, and Philippe Baptiste, President of the CNES.

7. A letter of intent on earth observation between MBRSC and the CNES.

8. A letter of intent regarding human spaceflight activities between the MBRSC and the CNES.

9. An agreement for cooperation between the Pasteur Institute and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC) and was signed by Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of the ADPHC, and Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Pasteur Institute.

10. The founding contract of NT Energies between Technip and the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC). It was signed by Ahmed Al Dhaheri, CEO of NPCC, and Arnaud Pieton, CEO of Technip.