UAE Says It Concludes Free Trade Agreement with Colombia

 The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
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UAE Says It Concludes Free Trade Agreement with Colombia

 The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)

The UAE said on Saturday it had concluded the terms of a trade deal with Colombia, which it called the first such bilateral agreement between the Gulf and South America.

"The UAE and Colombia have concluded the terms of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement – the first bilateral trade deal between the Gulf and South America," Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE minister of State for Foreign Trade, wrote on X.

"We can look ahead to a new era of cooperation that will deliver growth for both nations."

UAE state news agency WAM said the deal, once implemented, will "remove or reduce tariffs on the majority of product lines, eliminate unnecessary barriers to trade, improve market access and deepen collaboration" across a variety of sectors, including energy, telecommunications, tourism and food production.



Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power to Buy Engie’s Share in Kuwait and Bahrain Assets 

The logo of French gas and power group Engie is seen on the company tower at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie, near Paris, France. May 16, 2018. (Reuters)
The logo of French gas and power group Engie is seen on the company tower at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie, near Paris, France. May 16, 2018. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power to Buy Engie’s Share in Kuwait and Bahrain Assets 

The logo of French gas and power group Engie is seen on the company tower at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie, near Paris, France. May 16, 2018. (Reuters)
The logo of French gas and power group Engie is seen on the company tower at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie, near Paris, France. May 16, 2018. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power plans to buy stakes in assets in Kuwait and Bahrain worth $693 million from French utility developer ENGIE, according to a joint statement on Wednesday.

The share purchase agreement covers operating capacities of 4.61 GW of gas-fired power generation and 1.11 million cubic meters per day (m3/day) of water desalination facilities, the companies said in a statement.

It also includes the related operations and maintenance companies in Kuwait and Bahrain, it added.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory and other stakeholder approvals.