ASTANA – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrated its National Day at EXPO 2017 Sept. 6 featuring traditional cultural poetry, drum music and dance performances. Kazakh Vice Minister for Investment and Development Timur Toktabayev and UAE Director General of National Media Council Mansour Al Mansouri joined the festive event.
Photo credit: emirates247.com
“The participation of the UAE at the exhibition, as one of the most developed countries of the world in the field of future energy, is very important for us,” Toktabayev said at the official ceremony.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Toktabayev hoped the anniversary would give additional impetus to expanding and deepening cooperation between the nations.
“The UAE is the first among the countries of the Arab peninsula on commodity turnover with Kazakhstan. The indicator has increased 3.5 times, having made more than $380 million last year,” he said.
Investment cooperation also shows stable growth. During the last 12 years, the volume of foreign direct investment from the UAE to Kazakhstan reached $2 billion, while the outflow of investments from Kazakhstan to the UAE economy is approximately $1 billion. At least 190 joint ventures in oil processing and developing the oil and gas infrastructure, chemical industry, agro-industrial complex and building industry operate in Kazakhstan, he noted.
“Dubai’s experience became invaluable in the course of establishing the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). We are sure that creation of the AIFC on the expo platform will open new opportunities for the UAE’s investors and the visa-free regime for citizens of the UAE promotes increasing cooperation in all spheres,” he emphasised.
Toktabayev expressed hope for further successful cooperation between the countries and in hosting EXPO 2020 in Dubai.
Mansouri congratulated Kazakhstan for its outstanding success in organising and hosting the large-scale global event.
“Today, we are celebrating our National Day at the expo with our partners in Kazakhstan. This symbolic yet important occasion marks more than a quarter of a century of partnership and cooperation, where we have been working closely to develop joint projects in key sectors such as the space industry, infrastructure, transport and agriculture, to name a few,” he said.
He noted the expo reaffirmed the importance of clean energy, its rapid expansion and the need to continue developing its technologies. The ideas align with the UAE’s strategy to diversify its energy resources and rely more on clean energy.
“We have set a renewable energy strategy that seeks to create a diverse balance of energy sources, including renewable, peaceful nuclear energy and clean fossil fuels,” he added.
Responding to the expo theme, the UAE pavilion shows the country as a progressive player in the front lines of global innovations in renewable energy sources. The exhibit reflects the national energy sector – bright, contemporary and dynamic. Guests immerse into the media environment showing the warmth of the Emirates’ people and the country’s urban, desert and marine landscapes, according to the expo website.
“Here, we are introducing our culture to people. We have many activities, displaying our traditional clothes and food. The expo is great. I really enjoyed this experience,” UAE pavilion staff member Fatima Habib Alansaari told the paper.
