Spain and the UAE seek to strengthen their trade alliance with a joint commission

The Spanish Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez, began her two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates this Sunday on the occasion of the opening of Gulfood 2021, with a meeting with the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. At the meeting, which was held at the World Trade Center in Dubai and was also attended by representatives of the trade offices of both countries, Mendez expressed his optimism that the strengthening of trade partnerships between Spain and the Gulf region will help to boost the European nation's economy.

At the meeting, after introducing the members of his team, the Emirati minister and the Spanish representative discussed the creation of a joint commission for the second half of the year and the common opportunities for the nations after Expo 2020 in Dubai. "We have many concerns in common that relate to the management of the pandemic, international mobility and tourism, so it is very positive to have this meeting to talk about how we think 2021 is going to be, the attraction of investment from the Emirates to Spain, with all the opportunities that are now going to be generated," Mendez said.

In view of the objective of this visit, he said he "can support companies that have made an effort in such a complicated year, with health protocols to return to participate in the international trade fair calendar, a fundamental working tool for Spanish exporters that in 2020 has been interrupted".

After visiting the entrepreneurs exhibiting the best of their companies and some of Spain's best products, Mendez was very optimistic about the growth that the Iberian country is experiencing year after year in the market of the Arab Emirates, which has been reflected in its exceptional participation for years in Gulfood, the most important food fair in the Middle East.

"Spain's exports to the Gulf region have been very diversified. Food will continue to be very important, because it is a sector that has performed very well, and in 2020 it will be much more robust and have more weight in Spain's exports", Mendez said.

The Spanish Secretary of State for Trade's visit to the Emirates includes a meeting with the Spanish Business Council and a visit to the Spanish pavilions at Expo and the Spanish Association of Defence, Security, Aeronautics and Space Technology Companies (TEDAE) at IDEX.