UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed meet Austrian Chancellor to discuss bilateral and global issues

President of United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Karl Nehammer, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The leaders discussed and explored various opportunities for further bolstering bilateral ties with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in focus, that exists between the UAE and Austria.

The UAE President received the Austrian Chancellor and the delegation accompanying him at Al Shati Palace. He also congratulated the Chancellor on Austria’s National Day which is on 26^th October, and expressed his sincere wishes for the continuing progress and development of Austria. “The UAE and Austria enjoy close and friendly bilateral relations and we are further deepening our ties through this new Strategic Energy Security and Industrial Co-operation partnership,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said. “The UAE will continue to be a reliable and responsible energy provider, building and strengthening partnerships to drive economic and industrial growth, support global energy security and power a more sustainable future.”

The partnership between UAE and Austria will focus on projects in sectors including refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, renewables, and hydrogen and its derivatives. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will further promote sustainable development, decarbonization and progressive action against climate change as both nations reaffirm to work actively towards achieving objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Sheikh Mohamed and Chancellor Nehammer also exchanged their views and discussed on a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern. The leaders have stressed on the importance of “taking action to ease tension and promote dialogue to resolve crises with humanitarian, economic and food security implications”.

The Austrian Chancellor highlighted the Abu Dhabi meeting as yet another key milestone in strengthening relations between UAE and Austria. “The UAE is an important strategic partner for us and helps us ensure our energy security,” he said. “Our discussions today went far beyond the supply of LNG for Austria’s energy supply and also covered economic co-operation and the joint fight against climate change.”

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Suhail Bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Dr Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Khaldoun Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and Member of the Executive Council; and Hamad Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Austria. The Austrian delegation included Magnus Brunner, Federal Minister of Finance; Leonor Geoffsler, Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology; Etienne Berchtold, Ambassador of Austria to the UAE; and a number of Austrian government officials.