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President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on a state visit to the United Arab Emirates, greets Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan prior to the opening ceremony of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center on Monday. (Yonhap) |
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- President Yoon Suk Yeol and Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan adopted a joint declaration to deepen the special strategic partnership between the two countries on Monday. It stated the Middle East country’s promise to invest $30 billion to Asia’s fourth-largest economy, the presidential office said.
Under the declaration, the two countries agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas, including economy, energy, nuclear energy, defense as well as the peace on the Korean Peninsula, it added.
The leaders acknowledged the partnership as “a platform for further cooperation in clean energy fields” such as production and utilization of hydrogen and ammonia, deployment of clean energy infrastructure, and development of industrial ecosystems for renewable energy.
Yoon and Sheikh Mohammed expressed their determination to “deepen and accelerate collaboration in the peaceful nuclear energy sector,” both by successfully completing the Barakah nuclear power plant project and by jointly pursuing additional nuclear projects, whether in the UAE or in third countries.
The two leaders also welcomed further cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy through the high-level consultation on nuclear cooperation and agreed to seek ways to expand this cooperation into new areas, including evaluating the potential of small modular reactors.
They also recognized the emergence of future mobility as the transition towards electric, autonomous, or unmanned driving and the evolution to the third dimension in transportation unfold in the sector. In the face of such shifts, the two leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral policy making and technological cooperation in the sector in part by assuming joint leadership in global mobility initiatives.
To further advance the two countries’ ties in the infrastructure field, the two leaders agreed to “expand cooperation to encompass smart infrastructure” and promote the “sharing of information and people-to-people exchanges” in areas including intelligent transportation systems and three-dimensional spatial information systems.
The two leaders recognized that their strategic partnership is a critical component in their collaborative and mutual efforts to enhance peace and stability in the region, and beyond. They discussed prospects for promoting dialogue and diplomacy across the region, and stressed the importance of adherence to international law and on principles of respect for the sovereignty of countries and resolving disputes through peaceful means.
The two leaders reaffirmed that North Korea’s relentless pursuit of nuclear and missile development poses a serious threat to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the whole world. They “condemned in the strongest terms North Korea’s record number of ballistic missile launches” last year, which constitute a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, as well as conventional provocations, such as the firing of multiple rocket launchers and coastal artillery shells.
The leaders reiterated the “need for a firm and united response by the international community” to North Korea’s continued provocations. They reaffirmed their shared goal of the complete denuclearization of North Korea and reaffirmed the importance of diplomatic efforts to induce North Korea to return to negotiations. President Yoon outlined the Initiative aimed at a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula. The UAE leader expressed his support for South Korea’s positive role in promoting sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula and stability in the Asian continent.
