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UAE, Georgia Discuss Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Georgia's delegation at the Expo 2020 Dubai. (WAM)
Georgia's delegation at the Expo 2020 Dubai. (WAM)
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UAE, Georgia Discuss Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Georgia's delegation at the Expo 2020 Dubai. (WAM)
Georgia's delegation at the Expo 2020 Dubai. (WAM)

The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani al-Zeyoudi, and Georgia's Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Natia Turnava, officially launched talks to establish a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

CEPA aims to build on both nations' deep and evolving trade and investment ties.

The UAE's non-oil foreign trade with Georgia in the first ten months of 2021 exceeded $165 million, with a 33 percent growth compared to the same period in 2020.

As a strategic gateway to African and Asian markets, the UAE accounts for more than 60 percent of Georgia's trade with Arab countries and more than 40 percent of its trade with the Middle East and North Africa.

The UAE is also Georgia's most important source of foreign direct investment from the Arab world and the sixth-largest globally.

The launch of CEPA talks was followed by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on economic cooperation at the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Both countries agreed to expand cooperation in transportation and logistics, hospitality and real estate, small and medium-sized enterprises, industry and mining, food security and agriculture, tourism, science, technology, telecommunications and innovation, finance and banking, infrastructure and construction, and environment.

Following the agreement, Zeyoudi said Georgia and the UAE enjoy close cultural, diplomatic, and economic ties that have evolved and strengthened to establish their partnership over the years.

"We are already active trading partners and, as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, we must prepare for the future by developing a deeper trade and investment relationship."

The launch of talks on the UAE-Georgia CEPA reflects the shared desire to work together to enhance the capacity of the private sector, promote startups and entrepreneurs, improve market access and substantially increase the volume of two-way trade, according to the Emirati official.

For her side, Turnava said that bolstering of UAE-Georgian relations had become an increasing priority to both nations as bilateral trade grows, and there is a shared desire and ambition to build on these relations further with a mutually-beneficial comprehensive economic partnership agreement.

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China Tightens Ties to Kuwait with Deal to Expand Solar Power

The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Energy Administration (KUNA) 
The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Energy Administration (KUNA) 
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China Tightens Ties to Kuwait with Deal to Expand Solar Power

The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Energy Administration (KUNA) 
The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Energy Administration (KUNA) 

China will help increase capacity at two solar projects in Kuwait, further boosting ties after the two countries agreed to develop a long-delayed strategic port.

The new “framework agreement,” reached after six months of negotiations, will see the expansion of the Al-Shagaya and Al-Abdiliya solar plants, Kuwait’s state-run KUNA news agency reported Monday.

The governments of both countries signed on Monday the framework agreement, which contains technical details on the joint cooperation on renewable energy.

The agreement came in line with the Kuwaiti leadership's directives to expand the implementation of grand projects signed with China.

Under the agreement, the Chinese side will build the renewable projects in two regions in Kuwait at a joint production capacity of 3,500 megawatts with a possible boost to 5,000 megawatts.

Last month, Kuwait and China signed an agreement to execute the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port.

In Beijing on Monday, the new “framework agreement” was signed by Kuwait's Undersecretary at the Ministry of Electricity and Water and renewable energy Dr Adel Al-Zamel and Ren Jingdong, Deputy Director of the Chinese National Energy Administration.

The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Energy Administration and it was attended by Kuwait Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Affairs Ambassador Sameeh Johar Hayat who is also rapporteur of the high Kuwait-China Committee for agreements and MoUs execution. Also present were Kuwait Ambassador to China Jassem Al-Najem and other Kuwaiti and Chinese officials.

In comments to KUNA, Ambassador Hayat affirmed that the framework agreement came in line with the Kuwaiti leadership's directive concerning major joint projects. He said more details on grand projects signed with China would come into light soon including the agreement signed back in February to execute the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port.

He said that Chinese-Kuwaiti ties were witnessing huge leaps on several domains, reflecting the strong and robust relations linking the two countries.

For his part, Al-Zamel spoke about the framework agreement, revealing that it came after six months of negotiations. It resulted in setting a plan, supervised by the Chinese side, for the third and fourth zones of Al-Shagaya and Al-Abdiliya renewable projects as well at a joint production capacity of 3,500 megawatts with a possible boost to 5,000 megawatts.

Kuwait and China will celebrate on March 22, the 54th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations, which began back in 1971.