Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates and Japan have reviewed the prospects for strengthening economic, trade, and investment cooperation as well as explored new economic opportunities of common interest.
The meeting was held at the Abu Dhabi Business Forum, which was organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development following the conclusion of the 9th session of the Abu Dhabi-Japan Business Council.
During the meeting, Mr. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, urged Japanese companies to take advantage of the myriad opportunities up for grabs in Abu Dhabi and benefit from the UAE’s position as a gateway to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
“Japan, being one of Abu Dhabi’s preeminent trade and investment partners, gives us a lot to talk about, as the prospects for continued mutual growth, development, and progression are endless and exciting. Our nations continue to focus on identifying and creating new bridges with one another across various verticals to achieve common interests and the progression and well-being of our people side by side,” the Chairman commented.
Mr. Al Zaabi added that “the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development works closely with a few other prominent entities, making up the Abu Dhabi ecosystem. The capital city of the United Arab Emirates and its related regions have been focusing on facilitating, encouraging, and providing smart assistance and funding to strategic businesses and actively supporting start-ups and entrepreneurs and scaling them up with the aim of increasing the percentage of non-oil GDP.”
Mr. Nobuyori Kodaira, President, Japan Cooperation Centre for the Middle East, noted that the meeting comes at a time when Japan and the UAE are beginning a new half-century of economic cooperation in different fields, especially in terms of climate change cooperation.
Mr. Kodaira added that the energy transition and economic diversification will bring new chances for increased cooperation between the two sides.
The UAE Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Shehab Ahmed Al Fahim, and Mr. Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with top executives from both sides, also attended the meeting.