Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, July 17, 2017. Photo: MFA Georgia

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, visited Georgia on July 17-18. 

In Tbilisi, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed held meetings with President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze.

At their meeting, the ministers of foreign affairs discussed the prospects of intensifying bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, economy, education and culture.

“The visit is a clear manifestation of our mutual desire to intensify and deepen cooperation between our countries,” Mikheil Janelidze said at his joint press briefing with Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

“We discussed the growing trade and economic cooperation between our two countries; of course, the numbers do not reflect the real potential, but it is important that we have positive, growing dynamics,” Janelidze added.

The sides signed two documents at the end of their meeting: the Agreement for the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments and the Visa Waiver Agreement for Holders of Diplomatic/Service Passports.

The United Arab Emirates is the leading trade partner for Georgia among the Gulf countries, according to the State Statistics Office, Geostat. 

Georgia’s trade turnover with the United Arab Emirates stood at USD 170.2 million in 2016, with exports at USD 32 million (USD 28.1 million in 2015) and imports at USD 138.2 million (USD 210.1 million in 2015).