What prompted the move for a new embassy?
Until now Luxembourg had no Embassy in any Arab country. We opted for the Gulf region because politically and economically speaking, it has gone through an impressive process of development and change over the last 40 years. Within the Gulf, we decided for the UAE because your country is located at the heart of this thriving region. Moreover, the number of high-level bilateral visits from Luxembourg has significantly increased since 2008; so have activities of Luxembourg companies in the UAE. Both nations can offer valuable business opportunities to foreign investors, and the opening of an embassy in Abu Dhabi will make it easier to identify and bring these opportunities to fruition.
How would you sum up the current relations between Luxembourg and the UAE?
Our bilateral relations are excellent. This includes my personal relationship with my friend and colleague, UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I just came back from the Qasr Al Sarab desert resort where he was hosting the annual Sir Bani Yas Forum, an informal gathering with selected leaders from politics, business and academia, where we exchanged ideas on peace and security in the Middle East.
How well are Luxembourgian companies performing here?
They are performing very well. Luxembourg companies are active in air-freight logistics, the financial services industry, environmental technologies and construction. That’s why the Crown Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and Jeannot Krecké, the Luxembourg Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, visited the Big 5 construction exhibition in Dubai recently with a business delegation, including a team from ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer, headquartered in Luxembourg.
Will the Luxembourg Embassy be organising any activities in the near future?
In the coming months, the Luxembourg embassy will be focusing on activities aimed at putting Luxembourg on the map in all seven emirates: politically, economically and culturally.
Do the two nations share any significant historical milestones?
Absolutely! It all started on May 3, 1980, when we established diplomatic relations. Since then, we have come a long way together. In November 2005, our Head of State, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri, visited the UAE. The same year, Luxembourg and the UAE signed a bilateral tax treaty in Dubai, which entered into force in January 2010. This is a valuable instrument to promote bilateral business and trade. On November 22, 2007, a treaty was signed between the two nations for the promotion and mutual protection of investment. The treaty was negotiated within the framework of the Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union. The UAE and Luxembourg are about to formally sign an Air Services Agreement based on a MoU signed in 2008. The agreement, which has already been initialled, provides for no restrictions whatsoever on the capacity, the number of frequencies and the type of aircraft to be operated between the UAE and Luxembourg by designated airlines such as Emirates and Etihad from the UAE or Luxair and Cargolux from Luxembourg. The latest, of course, is the opening of our Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Where can UAE residents gain information on Luxembourg?
Information can be found on the website of the Embassy at http://abudhabi.mae.lu/en. The new Embassy’s consular section in the Silver Wave Tower on Meena Street also serves as a first point of contact, in particular for issuing visitors’ visas for Luxembourg and the European Union.
