ABU DHABI, May 4, 2023 (WAM).- Senior officials of the United Arab Emirates and Japan met on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in Abu Dhabi for the first meeting of the Political, Diplomatic, and International Cooperation Subcommittee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The meeting was part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative launched last year.

The session was presided over by Nagaoka Kannsuke. Assistant Foreign Minister of Japan and Director of the Middle Eastern & African Affairs Bureau.

Her Excellency, Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said: “The relationship between UAE and Japan is both historic and strategic.” The meeting today was a great opportunity to review our bilateral ties, and to discuss how to achieve the shared goals of our leaders in order to elevate our strategic partnership within the context of CSPI.

The inaugural meeting of the subcommittee was used by officials from both sides to explore ways of strengthening their ties through collaborations in areas like trade and investment. Energy technology, food safety, and increased cooperation in R&D.

The UAE ambassador to Japan, Shihab Al-Faheem said that the alignment of interests between the two countries and their mutual desire to take advantage of opportunities in different fields has continued to drive the growth of our ambitious partnership.

Participants to the consultations talked about regional developments, and the UAE’s upcoming presidency of the United Nations Security Council. The participants also discussed several key issues including Sudan, Syria and Afghanistan, fighting extremism, as well as both sides’ commitment to nonproliferation.

In the run-up to the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in the UAE in November this year, and the G7 Summit in Japan in December, the UAE and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to addressing the climate-related issues.