A hall dedicated to the UAE has opened in a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/05/21/uae-delegation-to-visit-russia-on-monday/" target="_blank">Russian</a> university in time for the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/education/2023/07/31/when-does-the-new-uae-school-term-start/" target="_blank">new academic year</a>. Dr Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE ambassador to Russia, inaugurated the hall at Moscow Government Institute of International Relations on Saturday, state news agency Wam reported. He was joined by Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, and Antoly Torkunov, rector of the institute. “Today, we are attending a symbolic event, the opening of the UAE Hall at the Moscow Institute of International Relations,” Mr Lavrov said. “This fully reflects the growing nature of the strategic partnership between our countries and confirms our close co-operation built over many years and based on mutual trust and the search for balanced interests,” he said. The launch comes as the UAE aims to strengthen trade and investment ties with Moscow. The UAE is Russia's leading trading partner among Arab countries, with their bilateral trade reaching nearly $10bn, according to Mr Lavrov. He added that this figure is likely to increase, and that Moscow supports the UAE in joining the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2023/08/28/brics-membership-to-boost-uaes-trade-ties-with-global-south-minister-of-economy-says/" target="_blank">Brics group</a>. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and Argentina were invited to join the Brics group of nations last month at a three-day summit in Johannesburg. Brics is an acronym of the group's founding members of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It is viewed by some as an alternative to the G7 group of developed countries. President Sheikh Mohamed praised the invitation to Brics and said the move would help consolidate the UAE's position on the world stage.