What Role Does the UAE Play in Launching an Economic Corridor Connecting India, Europe, and the Middle East?
The UAE has played a significant role in launching an economic corridor connecting India, Europe, and the Middle East
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, met today with several world leaders and heads of states participating in the 18th G20 Summit hosted by India under the theme ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’
Intensive Meetings
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held exclusive meetings with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in addition to a private meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other meetings with Alberto Fernandez, the President of Argentina; Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore; Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh; and Pravind Jugnauth, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, according to the international news agency Reuters.
The agency reported that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed discussed during these meetings the ways of enhancing cooperation between the UAE and their countries, as well as ways to develop mutually beneficial relations in various fields that meet the common aspirations for development and prosperity. He also exchanged views with the leaders on various topics of mutual interest.
The discussions covered issues raised at the G20 Summit, where His Highness emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation to identify effective solutions to urgent global challenges, particularly in the areas of climate action, sustainability, energy transformation, and others. Additionally, these discussions shed light on the UAE’s hosting of the 28th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in November.
In this regard, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stressed the UAE’s commitment to supporting initiatives that drive sustainable progress, prosperity, and well-being for all peoples, within the framework of efforts aimed at securing a brighter future for future generations.
Strong UAE Role
The international newspaper “The National” reported that at the opening of the G20 Summit on Saturday, US President Joe Biden thanked his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for his pivotal role in securing a historic railway and port deal connecting the Middle East and South Asia.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the UAE, and other partners in the G20 have agreed to explore a shipping corridor project to boost trade between Europe and India.
Biden said during the unveiling of the initiative on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi: “I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t think we’d be here without you.”
Biden said the economic corridor between India, the Middle East, and Europe would open up “endless opportunities” and contribute to a “more stable, prosperous, and integrated Middle East.”
This move comes amid US efforts to reach a broader diplomatic agreement in the Middle East that could lead to more countries recognizing Israel.
International Plans
The American news agency “Associated Press” confirmed that Biden announced plans yesterday to build a railway and shipping corridor linking India to the Middle East and Europe, an ambitious project aimed at boosting economic growth and political cooperation with significant cooperation from the UAE.
The project, which was outlined at the annual summit of the Group of 20 major economies, is intended to help boost trade, provide energy resources, and improve digital communication, and enable more trade between countries, including energy products such as hydrogen. Although White House officials did not provide details on the project’s cost or funding, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman mentioned $20 billion during the announcement, and it was not clear whether this amount only applied to the Saudi commitment.
