Emirati Business Council – French holds its third meeting

Paris, February 17/ WAM/ The UAE -French Business Council held its third meeting in Paris, headed by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al -Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and CEO of “ADNOC” and its group of companies, Patrick Boyan, Chairman and Chairman Total Enemel executive.

The meeting was attended by a number of officials and stakeholders from both sides, including His Excellency Eric Lombard, French Minister of Economy and Finance, His Excellency Laurent Saint Martin, French Foreign Trade Minister, His Excellency Maryam Bint Mohamed Al Muhairi, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, and His Excellency Fahd Saeed Al -Raqbani , The Ambassador of the State to the French Republic, and with the participation of more than 50 Emirati and French entities representing governmental and semi -governmental and private sectors.

His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al -Jaber conveyed at the beginning of the meeting the greetings of the rational leadership in the UAE to the French side, stressing the keenness to enhance bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, praising the depth of these established and extended relations for more than fifty years, which is witnessing a continuous development within the framework of strategic partnership and joint work in pursuit To achieve the aspirations of both sides in sustainable economic and social growth.

His Excellency pointed out that this meeting comes in an important stage in the relations of the two countries after the launch of the “Emirati-French Work Framework in the field of artificial intelligence” that witnessed the signing of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State “may God protect him”, and the luxury of French President Emmanuel Macron, Which aims to enhance digital infrastructure, and to support the development of artificial intelligence technologies through the creation of a complex and a work information center with a computing capacity of up to 1 GW.

He emphasized the pivotal role played by the UAE -French Business Council in promoting bilateral economic relations and upgrading them to new levels, stressing the importance of joint work to develop cooperation and achieving tangible results in the strategic and priority sectors of the two friendly countries.

His Excellency pointed to the council’s role in strengthening long -term partnerships in all fields, which contributes to supporting economic diversification efforts and enhancing integration between the business sectors in the two countries within the vital sectors of common concern.

His Excellency reviewed the UAE experience in enhancing investments through the establishment of specialized global institutions and companies, such as the world leading MGX in artificial intelligence investments, and XRG that was established to enhance strategic investments in the energy sector, with a focus on gas, chemicals, low carbon fuel, clean technologies and structure Energy Infrastructure, referring to the role of these companies in promoting sustainable economic development.

For his part, His Excellency Erik Lombard praised the duration of bilateral economic relations between France and the UAE, which resulted in joint ambitious projects, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence and environmental transformation, and it is one of the common strategic goals between the two countries.

For his part, Mr. Patrick Bouiani stressed the importance of the pivotal role of the Business Council in Paris, in enhancing economic cooperation between France and the UAE.

He pointed out that the council continues to implement its goals by facilitating commercial partnerships between French and Emirati companies in vital sectors such as energy, transportation, investment, and artificial intelligence, pointing out that the council is an effective platform for dialogue and cooperation, to enhance bilateral economic relations and push them towards further growth.

The Council reviewed what was accomplished through business groups in the past year, including activating the working group for artificial intelligence and advanced technology, and holding the first regional business development meeting, which aims to enhance cooperation between priority sectors and find joint initiatives between members and working groups in the council.

The meeting witnessed the participation of more than 30 companies from the two countries, during which the practical aspects of joint projects were discussed, and some opportunities of economic feasibility were explored.

The Council praised the diversity of joint projects existing between Emirati and French companies in strategic sectors such as energy and climate, transportation and logistical services, and investment in infrastructure, calling for the redoubling of efforts to further cooperation and provide new opportunities, enable partnerships between various sectors to enhance industrial integration, and create a more economic environment flexibility.

The meeting witnessed a review of a number of joint strategic projects, including the “CMA Terminal” container station in the port of Khalifa, which opened on December 12, 2024, which is a joint project between the Abu Dhabi Ports Group “30%” and the French CMCGM company ” 70%”with investments worth 3.1 billion dirhams, which includes working on launching the first dance port of the Abu Dhabi Ports in the Al -Fayya area, as an extension of the” CMA Terminalz “station.

The Council also reviewed the “Technology of Energy Solutions” facility, a partnership between the Arab Development Foundation and the French Schneider Electric Company in Abu Dhabi Industrial City “Ikad”, and aims to develop advanced energy solutions in a way that supports industrial growth in the UAE.

During the meeting, a number of partnerships were signed between private sector companies in the two countries, which included a framework for the partnership between “Masdar” and “Total Angel” and “To Point Zero” to support clean energy in emerging markets and developing economies in Africa and Asia, and a memorandum of cooperation between ADNOC and Veolia Company in the field of promoting water efficiency, which focuses on exploring cooperation opportunities in areas such as water recycling, rationalizing its use, reducing the carbon footprint, and developing work plans to reduce water loss in the short, medium and long term, in addition to a partnership between a ports group Abu Dhabi and the French Pascal Company on adopting artificial intelligence models for quantitative computing, improving operations, and joint development.

Participants in the Business Council meeting affirmed their commitment to accelerate the implementation of practical programs and initiatives, and to expand areas of cooperation in the priority sectors of the two countries.

The road map has also been adopted for the next year’s work, which focused on implementing the agreed projects, and exploring more opportunities and areas of cooperation between the private sector in the two countries, in addition to agreeing to hold the second regional meeting to develop business on the sidelines of the activities of the fourth edition of the “Make in The Emirates “will be held in Abu Dhabi during the period 19-22 May 2025.

It is noteworthy that the trade relations between the two countries witnessed a tangible development, as the volume of non -oil trade exchange increased by 21.3% in 2024, recording about 44 billion dirhams, compared to 36.7 billion dirhams in 2023.

The UAE hosts the largest number of French companies in the Middle East, as it includes more than 600 French companies that provide more than 30 thousand jobs, while the UAE ranks second as the largest Gulf investor in France.

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