Ukraine to explore new vistas of cooperation with UAE: Envoy

Abu Dhabi - A UAE humanitarian relief plane carrying 11 metric tonnes of medical supplies was also dispatched to Ukraine.

Ukraine looks forward to new areas of cooperation with the UAE, a top envoy said in Abu Dhabi.
Yuriy Polurez, Ambassador of Ukraine to the UAE, said the high-level bilateral visits between the leaderships had strengthened relations. The envoy thanked the UAE for sending humanitarian relief packages during the pandemic and facilitating repatriation of its stuck nationals.
"In April, the UAE became one of the first countries to respond to our call for necessary aid to fight the pandemic. A UAE humanitarian relief plane carrying 11 metric tonnes of medical supplies was dispatched to Ukraine. It succeeded in repatriating 113 Ukrainian citizens," Polurez told Khaleej Times as the 15,000-strong community marks their Independence Day on Monday.
The ambassador said cooperation with the UAE is one of the strategic priorities of Ukraine's foreign economic policy in the region. "This year the UAE was ranked among the top 10 countries regarded as the most desirable by Ukrainian exporters."
Focus on bolstering ties
Polurez noted the trade relations had reached $1 billion in 2019. So far 30 bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoU) were inked, and 15 more were under consideration. Among areas of cooperation are space science and nuclear energy.
"In the first quarter of 2020, we managed to keep the positive trend in bilateral trade. Joint efforts aimed at enhancing Ukrainian-Emirati investment cooperation gained a new and strong impetus.
"The National Space Facilities Control and Test Centre of Ukraine and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre have identified specific areas of cooperation and agreed to prepare the bilateral memorandum of cooperation. Ukraine is ready to offer cooperation in nuclear energy, where Ukrainian specialists have unique experience, as well as in the training of Emirati specialists on nuclear safety."
The ambassador said Ukraine is looking forward to boosting trade ties in new areas.
"It is time to move from trade of ready goods and raw materials to the cooperation in spheres that are of mutual interest for both countries like energy, aviation, shipbuilding, metallurgy, industrial and agricultural machinery, chemical and mining industries, infrastructure development, trade in consumer products and biotechnology," Polurez added.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com 

• Abu Dhabi