Global Arab Network | UK takes action to enhance relationships and trade links with the Gulf

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UK takes action to enhance relationships and trade links with the Gulf

British Ministers from across Government will tomorrow meet with some of their counterparts from the Gulf states, to further work on elevating relationships between their countries, and seek new opportunities to work together. Alistair Burt MP, Minister for the Middle East, will host the meeting.

In addition, International Development Minister Alan Duncan will tomorrow deliver a speech at Chatham House to an audience of business leaders, academics and representatives from foreign governments, as part of the GCC “Days in Europe Expo”, while Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt will deliver a speech at the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum taking place at London’s ExCel Convention Centre.

Mr Duncan is expected to use his speech to underline the Government’s commitment to a closer relationship with the countries in the Gulf. The Minister will make clear that ‘the Gulf matters to Britain’. He will set out the Government’s vision for an elevated and more effective relationship across the board with the countries in the region. He will highlight the UK’s desire to intensify cultural, educational, commercial, defence, development and diplomatic links.

Mr Burt is expected to call for the economic relationship with the UAE to be taken to the next level – making it stronger, deeper and wider, reports Global Arab Network according to press release.

Selected extracts of Mr Burt’s and Mr Duncan’s expected remarks follow below.

Mr Duncan is expected to make the following remarks as part of his speech:

‘The coalition Government has made it a top priority to elevate British engagement with the countries of the Gulf. This engagement is both strategic and long term, and involves colleagues across the full breadth of government.’

‘The Gulf matters to Britain. It is a region of great opportunity and promise, where we have strong ties and firm friends.’

‘We are pursuing a distinctive British foreign policy in the Gulf with the objective of intensifying our cultural, educational, commercial, defence, development and diplomatic links across the board. The interests we share with our Gulf partners go way beyond a narrow definition of foreign policy.’

‘We value our bilateral relations with each of the six Gulf States. We do not see the region as one homogenous whole. One of our strengths is our knowledge and experience of each of the different countries.’

‘We watch and continue to support the process of political reform in the Gulf States and the evolution of systems, which give citizens a greater say in the way they are governed and hold their leaders to account. We believe that this, together with the broader democracy agenda, is fundamental to the legitimacy of governments across the modern world.’

‘The UK is committed to investing the time in building personal relationships, so that we can realise the ambitious goals we have set on trade, defence, development, education and culture.’

Mr Burt is expected to make the following remarks as part of his speech:

“Strengthening relations with the UAE is a high priority for the Government.”

“We want to take our economic relationship with the UAE to the next level – making it stronger, deeper and wider. We have built some solid foundations.”

“I want our relationship to be one that drives economic growth upwards, in both the UK and the UAE; that creates jobs and equips both of our populations for the future; and that encourages the exchange of knowledge, ideas and people. I want the UK to be viewed as the best place to do business and to locate; and the first choice as a source of technology, skills, excellence and expertise. I also want us to build on what we have achieved so far – pushing our economic relationship into new areas and creating more world class partnerships between our firms.”

“In Government, we have just conducted an exercise to identify the key areas in which we think the UK is best placed to support Abu Dhabi’s development plans.”

“Firstly, Energy. The European Future Energy Forum provides the launch pad for an ambitious programme of collaboration to help both our countries to realise the potential of renewable energy and move solidly towards our low-carbon future.”

“The second area I wanted to highlight is Education… I want us to pool our assets and advantages for mutual benefit: more Emirati students in the UK; more collaboration between our universities and science parks.”

“And, finally, Infrastructure… We have world class expertise in the UK in design engineering, systems integration, operations, regulation and transport planning. UK specialists have worked on some of the biggest rail projects around the globe and have the capabilities and experience that could be used to help develop the ambitious plans now underway in UAE.” (Press Statement)

Global Arab Network

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