The high business council of the UAE-France held its third meeting in Paris under the chairmanship of Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE, and Managing Director of ADNOC Group, as well as Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies. The event brought together over 50 Emirati and French structures representing the public, semi-public, and private sectors.
At the end of the meeting, the participants confirmed their intention to accelerate the implementation of programs and initiatives, expand cooperation in key sectors for both countries, and adopted a plan for their activities in the coming year, focused on the implementation of agreed projects, exploring opportunities for collaboration between the private sectors of both countries, and holding the second regional business forum on the periphery of the 'Make it in the Emirates' forum from May 19 to 22 in Abu Dhabi.
Bilateral trade relations between the countries significantly strengthened, with oil trade growing by 21.3% in 2024 and reaching approximately 44 billion dirhams compared to 36.7 billion dirhams in 2023. The UAE also hosts the largest number of French companies operating in the Middle East, with approximately 600 companies employing more than 30,000 workers.
Dr. Al-Jaber shared the experience of the UAE in attracting investments that contribute to sustainable economic development, citing global specialized institutions and companies, such as MGX - a leading investor in artificial intelligence, and XRG - a new international investment company of the UAE, aimed at enhancing the value through strategic investments in gas, chemical industry, low-carbon technologies, clean technologies, and energy infrastructure.
Eric Lombraga supported the dynamics of bilateral economic relations between France and the UAE, which led to ambitious joint projects, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and ecological transition – two strategic goals, distinct between our countries.
Patrick Pouyanné noted that since its inception, the Supreme Council, which held its third meeting in Paris, continues to foster economic cooperation between the countries. This structure gradually establishes itself as a key participant in ensuring the concrete realization of commercial partnerships among French and Emirati companies in key areas such as energy, transport, investment, and artificial intelligence.
The council assessed achievements over the past year, including the activation of the working group on artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, as well as the hosting of the first regional business forum in the emirate of Masdar, Abu Dhabi, aimed at enhancing cooperation in priority sectors and creating joint initiatives among council members and working groups. During the meeting, over 30 companies from both countries explored new projects and economically attractive opportunities. The council also expressed the importance of diversifying partnerships existing between Emirati and French companies in various sectors, including energy, climate, transport, logistics, and investment in infrastructure.
