OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2010. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has arrived on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates today. This visit is to be a new landmark in the history of bilateral cooperation, which is developing nowadays as an active and effective dialogue.

This summit was anticipated by the official visit of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Abu Dhabi in August 2007 and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Ashgabat in February 2008, which laid the firm foundation for the further development of bilateral ties cemented by the traditions of friendship and fruitful cooperation.

This meeting of the leaders of the friendly states is a vivid illustration of our peoples’ intention to raise traditional partnership to a qualitatively new level and make it businesslike and constructive in compliance with the positive experience of cooperation and achievements of the national economies and, of course, the existing profound political, humanitarian, economic and resource potential. Therefore, it is quite natural that the prologue of the Turkmen-Arab summit was the International Investment Forum and the Commodity Exhibition of Turkmenistan, which were held in the capital of United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi last week. They became a bright presentation of modern Turkmenistan’s economic achievements and potential for intensification of international partnership in the investment sector as well with the United Arab Emirates as one of the most authoritative and economically developed countries in the Arab world.

Undoubtedly, the factors promoting mutual interest in present conditions include the solid legal base consisting of over 16 bilateral documents signed at the international, intergovernmental and interdepartmental levels during the years of independence that is a reliable foundation for further cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UAE in the whole of spectrum of fields. In accordance with the documents the two states opened the embassies, established direct air service and successfully develop trade cooperation.

The following figures testify to the steady growth of trade between our countries – in 2009 the bilateral trade turnover made up USD 676.1 million. The United Arab Emirates ranked the fifth in the total volume of Turkmenistan’s foreign trade turnover in 2009.

Turkmenistan exports the products of textile, light, chemical, agricultural industries and the fuel and energy sector to the United Arab Emirates. From the UAE Turkmenistan imports electrical appliances, equipment, vehicles, metal and metal goods, building materials, etc.

The regular visits of the representatives of the UAE’s financial and business circles to Turkmenistan confirm the growing interest of the Arab world to the ongoing large-scale projects initiated by the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The companies from the UAE substantially invest in the development of Turkmen economy through implementing joint projects in various fields. According to the Ministry of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan, to date 51 enterprises with the Arab capital participation have been registered in our country, of which 18 are registered as legal entities. As of January 1, 2010, 56 projects and contracts were registered with the companies and firms of the UAE, of which 53 projects amount to USD 117.2 million.

During this meeting in Abu Dhabi Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan intend to harmonize the views on a wide range of issues of mutual cooperation. The bilateral documents aimed at promoting cooperation in all strategic fields. The programme of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s visit to the UAE includes the meetings with the business elite of this authoritative country of the Arab world and a visit to the Khalifa Tower in Dubai.

Undoubtedly, this summit will foster relations between Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates, which are bound with historical, cultural and spiritual affinities over centuries, and steadily enhance partnership on a basis of mutual confidence and benefit.