JAPAN-UAE Business Forum held in Abu Dhabi

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), UAE Ministry of Economy, and the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan jointly held a Business Forum in the InterContinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Monday, 30^th April 2018, aiming at further strengthening the strategic economic relationship between Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, UAE Minister of Economy H.E. Eng. Sultan Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of State H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, JETRO Chairman Hiroyuki Ishige, and other senior officials from the UAE and Japan attended the Forum. A large high-level business delegation including government officials as well as chairmen and CEOs of major Japanese companies accompanied Prime Minister Abe who held talks with UAE officials from across several sectors including energy, environment, defense, education, healthcare, agriculture, and advanced technologies.

Several working sessions were held during the Forum that discussed sustainable energy cooperation, creating synergy through trade, investment and economic diversification – with success stories of Japanese companies, human resources, and innovation, etc. MoUs on cooperation between the two countries in different fields were also exchanged during the event.

Addressing in the forum, UAE’s Minister of Economy H.E. Eng. Sultan Al Mansoori said that Japan was the 6^th most important trade partner of UAE, its 4^th biggest exporter, and among the Top 15 most important importers from UAE globally. He also said that the Japanese investments stood at 14.3 billion dirhams and that the cooperation of the two countries had contributed to deepening the partnership in a number of traditional sectors of interest such as energy, industry, investment, tourism, aviation and others.

The business forum also featured a sample food tasting of signature Japanese fruits, and business meetings organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Association of Japan (ZEN-NOH).

Later on that day, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crowne Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces received Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his delegation at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, together with a number of sheikhs, ministers and senior officials from UAE.