ABU DHABI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the European Union (EU) on Thursday launched negotiations on a Strategic Partnership Agreement, both sides announced.
According to a report by the UAE's official WAM news agency, the announcement was made at a joint press conference in Abu Dhabi by Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, state minister in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica.
Nusseibeh said the step reflects a shared conviction that cooperation is essential for regional and global stability and prosperity, WAM reported.
She highlighted that the EU is the UAE's top investment partner and second-largest trading partner, adding that the UAE "looks forward to building a solid, comprehensive economic partnership with the EU," WAM reported.
Suica described the UAE as a strategic EU partner and a key player in trade, linking Europe with the Middle East and Asia, WAM reported.
Meanwhile, according to a joint statement released on the European Commission's website, both sides reaffirmed their determination to deepen cooperation such areas as trade, investment, green and digital transition, and artificial intelligence, among others.
The agreement aims to provide a comprehensive framework for bilateral cooperation and builds on the agenda set during the 2024 EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Brussels, read the joint statement.
The latest development came after the two sides formally launched negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement in late May, marking a potential breakthrough towards the EU's first comprehensive trade deal in the Gulf region. ■
