UAE, Brazil issue joint statement on advancing bilateral relations

The United Arab Emirates and the Federal Republic of Brazil have agreed on advancing bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership.

This came in a joint statement on the occasion of the official visit of President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, to Abu Dhabi, Sunday.

Following is the joint statement: 1. At the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Excellency the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Jair Bolsonaro, made his first official trip to the Arab world, visiting the United Arab Emirates on October 27, 2019. Cabinet members, congressional and business representatives joined the presidential delegation.

2. The visit comes in the year in which Brazil and the United Arab Emirates celebrate 45 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

3. In Abu Dhabi, H.E. President Jair Bolsonaro was welcomed by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. The leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Strategic Partnership between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, in the areas of peace and security, economics, energy, tourism, culture and sports.

4. International agreements were also signed in the fields of artificial intelligence, environment, defense, trade and customs cooperation.

5. During their meeting, the leaders addressed issues related to bilateral relations, including joint actions to strengthen economic cooperation, defense and science, technology and innovation, and combating terrorism. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues.

6. The two leaders highlighted the excellent economic cooperation between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates and expressed their determination to strengthen it further. Recalling the already significant mutual investments, both sides identified joint priority initiatives to expand partnerships involving investment funds, in key sectors like agribusiness and food security, infrastructure, transport, energy, defense, and innovation, aiming at mutual benefits for the peoples and economies of both countries.

7. Both sides referred to the United Arab Emirates’ position as Brazil's third largest Arab trading partner and confirmed their intention to expand trade partnership between the two countries in the coming period.

8. The two leaders reiterated the importance of the United Arab Emirates as a key gateway for regional and global markets. In particular, they underscored the potential of leveraging the United Arab Emirates’ strategic location, advanced infrastructure and dynamic business environment to facilitate the access of Brazilian products to third-country markets, especially in Asia.

9. In an effort to further promote bilateral economic cooperation and explore potential new trade and investment partnerships, H.E. President Bolsonaro attended the UAE-Brazil Business Forum under the theme of "Creating Business Opportunities between Brazil and UAE and Bridges to Asia" on 27 October 2019, which brought together more than 300 business and private sector representatives from both countries to explore opportunities in food and agriculture, financial consultancy, healthcare, logistics, infrastructure, defense, information communications technology, and the oil and gas sector.

10. The leaders reaffirmed that defense cooperation remains part of the bilateral agenda, not only from the trade point of view, but also in building trust and best practice. In response to the establishment of the Military Attaché's Office at the United Arab Emirates’ Embassy in Brasilia, H.E. President Bolsonaro announced the imminent establishment of a Military Attaché's Office at the Brazilian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

11. Both leaders reiterated their willingness to deepen cooperation in fighting transnational crime and terrorism.

12. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the protection and promotion of freedom of religion, and to the facilitation of inter-faith harmony.

13. The leaders also reiterated the importance of multilateralism and the vital role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security.

14. At the end of his visit to the United Arab Emirates - where 2019 was designated the "Year of Tolerance" - H.E. President Bolsonaro visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and placed a floral offering at the Monument to the Martyrs of the Motherland (Wahat Al Karama).

15. His Excellency Jair Bolsonaro, the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil expressed to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces his gratitude for the hospitality with which he was received, along with his delegation, in the United Arab Emirates.

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