UAE, Poland keen on forging economic, investment partnership

ABU DHABI, 30th April, 2015 (WAM) -- The UAE has expressed its keen interest in promoting economic and investment cooperation with Poland to a strong partnership with the European country. Minister of Economy Sultan Saeed Al Mansouri, in opening remarks at the UAE-Polish Business Forum, noted that the Polish government is open to a strategic partnership with the UAE in all spheres. Thanks to contacts and exchange of visits between the officials from the UAE and Poland, trade between the two countries surged by 160 percent from US$500 million in 2012 to US$1.3 billion in 2014, he said. Minister Al Mansouri emphasised that Emirati companies are increasing their investment in Poland's agricultural sector in a bid to achieve food security for the UAE. These investments, he added, serve all Arab countries and not only the UAE. Twenty years ago, the UAE and Poland signed an agreement to protect and promote mutual investments, he said, noting that the UAE was ranked as the 12th most competitive nation globally in the report, up seven places from last year. In the report, the country was also rated the most competitive among the Middle East and North African (Mena) countries. He added that the UAE has the safest aviation industry in the world after scoring the highest ever ranking issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The country's airports handled more than 100 million passengers in 2014. On his part, Poland's Economy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Janusz Piechocinski, said that the advanced political relations between the two countries should serve the economic relations and contribute towards promoting cooperation between their companies in various businesses areas. Piechocinski noted that the UAE is Poland's top trading partner among the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and Muslim nations. Top business leaders and government officials are taking part in the UAE-Poland business forum to discuss and explore opportunities for investment in the two countries. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395279920501.html