India, UAE review I2U2 framework, discuss bilateral issues

UAE Foreign Minister appreciated the contribution of the Indian community to UAE’s progress and development while the External Affairs Minister of India thanked him and the entire UAE leadership for taking care of the Indian community. Both sides agreed to hold meetings of various institutional dialogues on consular issues, skills and manpower in the coming months.

New Delhi:India and UAE reviewed the ongoing discussions between the two sides in the area of food security, including in the I2U2 framework, during the 14th India-UAE Joint Commission meeting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The 14th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of UAE Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, MEA said on Friday.

The two ministers were joined by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE MOS for Foreign Trade, Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary of India, Ambassadors and senior officials from both sides. They expressed happiness at the forward movement in healthcare and education cooperation. A team consisting of both government and private sector representatives from India and UAE visited Kenya and Tanzania recently to identify opportunities for joint projects in the health sector.

The discussions between both sides on the establishment of an IIT in UAE have also moved forward with the establishment of a Joint Working Group between institutions on both sides. Both ministers expressed their satisfaction with the continued high growth trajectory of bilateral relations between India and the UAE. In this context, they noted the regular high-level political interactions between both sides, especially the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on June 28 in Abu Dhabi, their virtual summit on February 18 and their participation in the virtual I2U2 Summit in July 2022.

They also noted the cooperation between the two countries in various multilateral forums and international organisations, in particular in UN Security Council in 2022. Both sides expressed happiness at the entry into force of the landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on May 1 and the organisation of various activities and events for the effective implementation of the agreement.

They reiterated their commitment to achieving the goal of USD 100 billion in bilateral trade in the next five years. They also positively assessed the investment partnership between both countries and the growth of UAE investments in India in diverse sectors. It is expected that the next meeting of the High-Level Task Force between the two countries will be held shortly in India.

UAE Foreign Minister appreciated the contribution of the Indian community to the UAE’s progress and development while the External Affairs Minister of India thanked him and the entire UAE leadership for taking care of the Indian community. Both sides agreed to hold meetings of various institutional dialogues on consular issues, skills and manpower in the coming months.

Two MoUs were signed between both sides in the presence of the ministers.--MoU between the Wildlife Institute of India and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation for the Conservation of the Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican; the MoU between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of UAE and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) on the establishment of the India-UAE Cultural Council Forum.