UK Trade Minister praises UAE role in seeking GCC trade deal

British Trade Minister Chris Bryant has sought the support of the UAE in negotiations on a Gulf-UK free-trade agreement as he called for a final push to close a deal.

Speaking at National Day celebrations in central London, hosted by Mansoor Abulhoul, UAE ambassador to the UK, Mr Bryant urged those in attendance to promote the talks where they could.

In October, the Gulf Co-operation Council Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi met British ministers and officials to review successive rounds of the free-trade talks between the bloc and the UK.

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Heaping praise on economic and trade ties with the UAE, he pointed to its leadership of the GCC which is locked in FTA negotiations with the UK.

"Could you help us get the GCC trade deal finally done?" Mr Bryant asked during a speech at the UAE celebration in London. "Every single person in here who has not managed to speak to one of the other countries in the GCC, could you just twist their arms?

"I'm not going to name the other countries, I'm not going to name individuals that you need to speak to, he added. "But honestly, this has been taking us far too long. I really want us to get this trade deal done, because I think it's in our geostrategic interest.

"It's in our personal interests. It's in the interest of trade. It's in the interest of supporting the rules based order around the world which has enabled all of us to prosper."

Mr Bryant pointed out the UAE was the UK's largest regional trading partner, with £25 billion ($33 billion) of bilateral trade in the year ending in June. In addition, he noted there were 5,000 British businesses operating in Dubai. He said he had argued for the UAE's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership at a recent summit of the current members.

Among the British politicians at the 54th Eid Al Etihad commemorations was former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, former chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond, and former foreign secretary and home secretary James Cleverly, as well as serving parliamentarians.

In parliament on Wednesday, Mr Dowden asked Hamish Falconer, the Middle East minister, to mark National Day by reaffirming the strategic relationship between the two countries.

"They are a key partner," Mr Falconer said of the UAE. "I welcome their investments all over the country and we will take the relationship from strength to strength."

Mr Abulhool said the UK and UAE worked together successfully on humanitarian aid access to Gaza during the war. He said the two countries were co-operating to provide assistance to Sudan.

"In Sudan the UAE is working tirelessly to secure a humanitarian truce and is the second-largest donor supporting life-saving assistance at scale," he said. "The UK has been a vital part in those efforts, offering expertise, co-ordination and compassion."

The ambassador also hailed UAE foreign investment in the UK under the sovereign investment partnership and suggested new areas of business ties, including technology collaboration. "We see tremendous opportunity to create innovation corridors, connecting our research and technology hubs in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah with a number of great cities across the UK."

GCC talks

Mr Al Budaiwi said the free trade agreement between the GCC and Britain would contribute significantly to enhancing trade and economic relations, and open new horizons for co-operation in various fields.

The 46th Gulf Co-operation Council Summit begins on Wednesday. The bloc's members are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and this year's host, Bahrain.