ABU DHABI (WAM)
Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal National Council (FNC), received a parliamentary delegation from the German Bundestag at the FNC HQ in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to discuss strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the UAE and Germany.
The German delegation included Dr Norbert Röttgen, substitute member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees, and Alexander Radwan, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Relations with the Arabic-Speaking States of the Near and Middle East.
The meeting was attended by members of the FNC Parliamentary Friendship Committee with European Parliaments and other FNC officials.
The two sides reviewed the longstanding strategic relations between the UAE and the Federal Republic of Germany and the significant positive outcomes of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's historic visit to Germany last September.
They highlighted the visit as a milestone in bilateral relations, particularly the launch of the UAE-Germany Strategic Dialogue as an institutional framework for strengthening cooperation across various fields.
Both sides stressed the importance of building on the momentum in bilateral relations by strengthening institutional parliamentary cooperation between the FNC and the German Bundestag, intensifying communication and coordination, and exchanging parliamentary expertise and experiences to support and further develop the strategic partnership.
The discussions also addressed opportunities to expand economic and investment cooperation, particularly in clean energy, hydrogen, artificial intelligence, technology and advanced industries, as well as partnerships and investments in sectors of shared priority.
Both sides emphasised the importance of closer coordination through participation in parliamentary forums to support economic and trade relations between the UAE, Germany and the European Union.
They expressed their aspiration to expand cultural, scientific and educational cooperation and strengthen dialogue between specialised institutions, highlighting the role of cultural, educational and academic institutions in building bridges between the two peoples, exchanging knowledge and expertise, deepening mutual understanding and strengthening bilateral relations.
Al Nuaimi and the Bundestag delegation also discussed developments in the Gulf and Middle East and their implications for regional and international security and stability, including the close connection between regional and European security.
They stressed that achieving security and stability requires addressing the root causes of conflicts, respecting international law and the Charter of the United Nations , and strengthening dialogue, mediation and preventive diplomacy.
They also highlighted the role of parliaments in supporting peace efforts, encouraging diplomatic approaches and countering hate speech, extremism and polarisation that threaten social and international peace.
The meeting further addressed the repercussions of tensions and attacks threatening vital waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and their impact on energy security, supply chains, international trade and global economic stability.
Both sides emphasised the importance of complying with international law and relevant international conventions and agreements, ensuring the security, safety and freedom of maritime navigation, and strengthening international cooperation to counter threats to regional and international security and stability.