Minister to visit United Arab Emirates

The External Relations Minister, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 9 to 13 November 2013. He will meet Government and senior commercial figures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and will visit the Al Ain Zoo in Abu Dhabi.

 

The visit forms part of a long-standing programme of engagement with the UAE, spanning the past decade, and including previous visits in the past two years by Senator Bailhache, the Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, and the Treasury Minister, Senator Philip Ozouf. The Island’s ties with the Emirati business community have been further developed by the work of Jersey Finance’s regional office in Abu Dhabi, which was opened in 2011.

 

Subjects under discussion are likely to be environmental conservation, commercial ties between Jersey and the UAE, and renewable energy. The Chairman of Jersey Finance and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mr Jonathan White, will accompany Senator Bailhache on the visit.

 

Senator Bailhache said “We have a good relationship with the Emirati Government and, through the intermediary of Jersey Finance in Abu Dhabi, Jersey continues to forge close commercial ties in the region. It is also important that we remain committed to broadening our engagement with the Emirates, and I am confident that this visit will help us to make progress in that regard.”