Reem Al Hashemy Heads UAE Delegation At GCC-UK Ministerial Meeting

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 23rd Feb, 2021) Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, led the UAE delegation to the 22nd Joint Ministerial Meeting on GCC-UK Strategic Dialogue.

The meeting, which was held virtually today, was attended by GCC foreign ministers; James Cleverly, UK Minister of State for the middle East and North Africa; and Ranil Jayawardena, UK Minister for International Trade.

"The historic and strategic relations of cooperation between the UAE and the UK have developed in various aspects, particularly in the areas of trade and investment," Al Hashemy said.

"There is no doubt that the economic, investment, and trade relations of GCC countries are not only strategic but crucial, and we must focus on the continued growth of our trade and investment ties."

To achieve the common goal of further strengthening bilateral and regional trade and investment relations, the minister underscored the importance of moving forward with free trade negotiations between the GCC and the United Kingdom, in turn benefiting all parties in their quest for a sustainable and comprehensive economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, she underscored that while the mere "management" of regional issues is an acceptable outcome, there is a need to adopt a new mentality with the determination to find real and sustainable solutions that would enable the peoples of the region and youth to achieve the peace, prosperity, and wellbeing they deserve. She also stressed that the UAE is fully prepared to support this vision alongside other GCC countries and the UK.

Al Hashemy concluded by saying, "The challenges facing our region are serious, but there is a solution for everything. The UAE seeks to be an elected member of the UN Security Council for the 2022-23 period because we believe that these issues can be resolved through political dialogue, diplomacy, and multilateral cooperation. If we are honoured to be elected, we look forward to working with the United Kingdom on regional and other issues that pose a threat to international peace and security."