UAE President arrives in France to strengthen ties and focus on energy
July 18, 2022, 7:12 am

UAE President arrives in France to strengthen ties and focus on energy

heikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi . (AFP)

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan landed in Paris Sunday (July 17), on his first overseas state visit and with energy and transport deals on the agenda, the Alarabiya Engliish reported, citing the AFP.

It said that the Emirati President is due to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday (July 18) at the Elysee Palace.

The UAE president's visit comes after Joe Biden's first Middle East tour as president, including a visit to Saudi Arabia at a time when Western powers remain desperate for both Riyadh and the UAE to increase oil output to tame elevated energy prices stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A key facet of the trip is likely to be the unveiling of “guarantees given by the UAE on quantities of hydrocarbon supplies to France”, a presidential advisor at the Elysee told AFP, referring to diesel supplies.

Dominated by hydrocarbons, UAE exports to France in 2019 reached 1.5 billion euros, much of it refined petroleum products, but the Emirates does not currently supply diesel to the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes a guest at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 16, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The Elysee source added that France is seeking “to diversify its sources of supply in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.”

MOUs and contracts are also expected to be signed in the transport and waste treatment sectors during the three-day visit.

Relations between the two countries have grown considerably in recent years. The UAE is home to the only foreign branch of the Louvre museum, and in December it signed a record 14-billion-euro contract for 80 Rafale warplanes, according to the report.

Joe Biden invites UAE President to White House

It said that the UAE is home to the largest French and Francophone expatriate community in the Gulf region.

The UAE's de facto ruler for years, Sheikh Mohamed, also known as MBZ, took office in May following the death of his half-brother, the long-ailing Sheikh Khalifa.

The visit to France “has of course a very symbolic dimension and illustrates... Macron and MBZ's good personal relations,” said Anne Gadel, a member of the North Africa Middle East Observatory at the Fondation Jean Jaures in Paris.

She added: “This trip will be marked by energy issues in a context where European countries are worried about growing inflation driven by high energy prices.”

Both European powers and the US have sought to press Gulf countries into upping oil output.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan elected UAE president

In opting for France -- rather than the US -- as his first foreign destination as president, the UAE's Sheikh Mohamed could be sending “a signal... to the US... meaning: we are not in a hurry to respond to the US' demands at all costs,” Gadel said.

The UAE has been a strategic partner to Washington for decades, but has in recent months asserted its independence, abstaining from a February UN Security Council vote on a US-Albanian draft resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It is worthy to note that on Saturday (July 16), President Joe Biden invited his Emirati counterpart to visit the US.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

Biden’s Saudi Reset President Zelensky fires dozens of senior officials for working against Ukraine

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.