"Abu Dhabi" and"Baku" They sign a twinning agreement to enhance urban cooperation

BAKU, February 24, 2017 (WAM) – The Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi and the Executive Authority of the City of Baku signed a twinning agreement between the two cities, with the aim of strengthening cooperation frameworks and exchanging experiences in the areas of accelerating the transformation of the mobility system, digital twinning, and traffic management, in addition to the relevant urban planning axes.

The agreement was signed on the Emirati side by His Excellency Muhammad Ali Al-Sharafa, Head of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, while on the Azerbaijani side it was signed by His Excellency Eldar Azizov, Head of the Executive Authority of the City of Baku, during an official visit by a delegation from the Department to Baku.

This signing comes as a continuation of the joint vision announced during the visit of His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to Abu Dhabi, as the agreement reinforces the commitment of both sides to joint work to support sustainable urban development efforts and improve the quality of life in the two capitals.

The signing of the agreement came after a series of high-level meetings held by the delegation of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, with the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport in Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency “INA”, in addition to field visits to a number of major infrastructure projects in Baku.

During these visits, the delegation was briefed on the city’s achievements and the rapid progress in implementing an ambitious program to accelerate the transformation of the mobility system, by employing the latest data collection and analysis techniques.

The agreement stipulates the exchange of experiences and the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of accelerating the transformation of the mobility system, digital twinning, and traffic management, in addition to participating in exhibitions and specialized events, conducting normative studies between the relevant authorities and institutions in the two cities, and exchanging knowledge and experiences in city management.

The agreement also includes setting clear governance standards supported by common key performance indicators, allowing each city to track the progress made and expand the scope of successful initiatives within its urban environments, thus enhancing efficiency and sustainability in implementing future projects.

His Excellency Muhammad Ali Al-Sharafa stressed that the visit to Baku represented an important opportunity to emphasize the strength of relations between the UAE and the Republic of Azerbaijan, noting that this partnership represents an actual translation of the close relations between the two countries, and an embodiment of their shared vision of building sustainable cities prepared for the future.

He added that twinning allows the exchange of various types of experiences to advance sustainable development in the two capitals in the long term, stressing that this step reflects the success of the principle of cooperation upon which similar partnerships concluded by the department over the past years were based, which constitutes a major driver of innovation, urban development, and enhancing the quality of life.

As part of the visit program, the department’s delegation conducted an inspection tour of the “May 28” central station in Baku, which was named after the Independence Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the delegation was briefed on a detailed analysis of passenger routes, signage systems, and ease of movement for all users in accordance with the principles of inclusiveness.

The delegation also inspected the “White City” project, one of the pioneering projects within the “Baku 2040 Urban Plan,” to study mechanisms for aligning land use and redevelopment policies with the infrastructure of the transportation sector.

The tour also included a visit to the Old City of Baku, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, to learn about best practices in preserving historical urban spaces and organizing movement in a way that gives priority to pedestrians and enhances the sustainability of the historical urban fabric.

This twinning comes within the framework of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to build an effective network of civil alliances around the world, as the emirate has a twinning agreement with the Chinese city of Shenzhen, which was concluded in early 2024, and another with Brisbane, Australia, within the framework of “sister cities”, which the department recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of its signing. These initiatives reflect an ongoing strategic approach for the emirate based on cooperation with the most prominent global municipalities to implement pioneering projects that raise quality of life standards.

The agreement is also an extension of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which were announced during the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Abu Dhabi in February of this year.

In a related context, the UAE has accounted for about 50% of Azerbaijan’s trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while the comprehensive economic partnership agreement is expected to contribute about $680 million to the UAE’s gross domestic product and $300 million to the Azerbaijani economy by 2031, which reflects the strength of the economic partnership and its promising future prospects.

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Related