EU and UAE Strengthen Ties at 4th High-level Political Dialogue in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: The 4th High-level Political Dialogue between the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took place in Abu Dhabi on 27th May. The meeting was co-chaired by Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) for Political Affairs, and Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and the Foreign Minister's Envoy for the EU. According to Emirates News Agency, both sides celebrated the significant announcement of the commencement of free trade talks between the EU and the UAE. They stressed the importance of the partnership between the EU and UAE and reiterated their commitment to enhancing cooperation on both bilateral and regional issues, focusing on areas in Europe and the Middle East. Discussions also centered around establishing a broader institutional framework through an EU-UAE Strategic Partnership Agreement. The meeting addressed cooperation in multilateral forums and current regional and international developments, including the c onflict in Gaza, the situations in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, security in the Red Sea, Sudan, and the war in Ukraine. The dialogue also highlighted the need to intensify EU-GCC cooperation, which is crucial for the security and prosperity of both regions. This follows the commitments made during the October 2024 EU-GCC Summit in Brussels and anticipates the upcoming UAE GCC Presidency.