Abu dhabi: Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State, held a joint press conference today in Abu Dhabi with Dubravka … uica, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean. During the briefing, … uica stressed that the UAE is a strategic partner of the European Union, noting that cooperation between the two sides has spanned decades and that this strategic partnership forms a key pillar of their joint efforts to advance stability, prosperity, and development in societies.
According to Emirates News Agency, at the outset of the press conference, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh underscored the importance of today's announcement regarding the launch of negotiations on a Strategic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the European Union. She said it was a significant step toward deepening the strategic partnership between the UAE and the EU, reflecting their shared conviction that cooperation is essential to achieving stability, prosperity, and opportunity within the region and globally.
She added that the UAE is committed to elevating its relations with the EU to a more ambitious level, noting that the potential of the relationship between the European Union and the Gulf states has long remained underutilised. She welcomed the steps taken in Brussels to begin bilateral negotiations with GCC states with the aim of concluding comprehensive strategic partnership agreements.
Nusseibeh explained that their intensive discussions, particularly on the free trade agreement, are progressing rapidly, supported by a strong foundation of shared economic interests. She noted that the positive impacts of these negotiations will be felt by the peoples of both sides, as trade ties will be strengthened, investment opportunities expanded, and business-to-business cooperation deepened.
She highlighted that the comprehensive strategic partnership agreements the UAE has concluded globally have demonstrated the transformative impact such initiatives can have on economies. The EU, she said, is the UAE's top investment partner and its second-largest global trading partner, adding that the UAE looks forward to building a solid, comprehensive economic partnership with the EU.
Nusseibeh stated that the Strategic Partnership Agreement currently under negotiation will provide a structured framework for cooperation in vital and timely fields, including digitisation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and others. She emphasised that the UAE's partnership with the EU extends beyond economic impact, reflecting a shared responsibility to contribute to global stability and humanitarian relief.
For her part, … uica said that today marks an important step in the trajectory of the UAE-EU strategic relationship with the announcement of negotiations on a comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement. She noted that this announcement builds on decades of cooperation and on the ambitious agenda set in 2024, which is advancing with a long-term outlook under the EU's 2032 strategy.
… uica added that work will also progress on the free trade agreement negotiations launched in May of this year. She described the UAE as a strategic partner of the EU and a key player in trade and investment, as well as a central hub linking Europe with the Middle East and Asia.
Responding to media questions on the Strategic Partnership Agreement, free trade negotiations, and the situation in Sudan, Nusseibeh said the trade discussions have been highly productive. The UAE, she noted, is doubling its efforts in the trade domain and has a strong record of rapid and bold progress in trade agreements, having concluded 31 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements in just three years.
On Sudan, Nusseibeh said the UAE is in regular consultations regarding the ongoing and devastating conflict. She welcomed the European Parliament's decision to support mediation efforts in Sudan, as well as the recent conclusions of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, which underscored the priority of mediation aimed at securing an immediate humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a transition to an independent civilian government.
Nusseibeh pointed out that the statement issued by the Quartet in September represented a historic step toward halting the fighting and ending the civil war between the warring parties. It also laid out a realistic roadmap for de-escalation. The Quartet affirmed that Sudan must not have a future defined by extremist groups nor become a fragile state offering safe haven to terrorists. A civilian, independent government, she said, is the path to a stable and secure Sudan.
