WAM ABU DHABI: Ten agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between government and semi-government agencies in Abu Dhabi and Japan, in the fields of research and studies, education, health, energy, investment and others, were signed today at the Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Forum.
Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Nasser Ahmed Al-Suwaidi, and Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, opened the forum at the Abu Dhabi InterContinental Hotel in presence of a high-level delegation and senior officials, businessmen and investors from both sides.
The forum was attended by Director General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of UAE University, Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, CEO of the Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones, Mohammed Hassan Al Qamzi, and Director General of Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Mohammed Tayeb Kamali. High-level delegations from sides, senior officials, businessmen and investors participated in the Forum.
Al-Suwaidi, in his opening speech at the forum, said that the Government of Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general consider Japan a strategic partner, especially as it is the second largest importer of UAE’s crude oil which constituted 22 % of Japan’s total imports of crude oil in 2012.
He said that despite the fact that this partnership serves as an important anchor in the two countries relations, but the relationship goes beyond energy issues to further prospects, in the fields of politics, too, as the two countries share common values based on dialogue, tolerance, moderation, peace and security.
stated that the ambitious policy of the government of Abu Dhabi, has made significant achievements in development and economic growth, especially in non-oil strategic sectors, as planned by Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 economic, noting that Japanese companies have played and will continue to play a constructive and active role as partners in the development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
He added that Japanese investments in Abu Dhabi had quadrupled in two years from $ 200 million at the end of 2008 to $ 770 million in 2009, pointing out that Japan ranked fifth among investment in the emirate; and non-oil trade between Abu Dhabi and Japan rose by more than 50% in the past five years, and reached $ 3 billion in 2012.
He also said that Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development made great efforts over the past years, in collaboration with several government agencies in Japan in order to consolidate and strengthen the strategic partnership in economic and investment the fields.
He added that the Department of Economic Development organized numerous visits for official delegations in the two countries, in addition to joint events and activities and setting the institutional framework to support this partnership through the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Council (AJEC) in January of 2011 to crown the fruitful and mutual cooperation between the Department and the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME).
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