Korea-UAE Jointly Promote Cooperation Projects in Energy and Medical Sectors

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] The government will jointly promote cooperative projects with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in future-oriented technology, energy and infrastructure, and health and medical sectors.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on the 8th that it attended the 7th Korea-UAE Economic Joint Committee held via video conference on the afternoon of the 7th.

The Korea-UAE Economic Joint Committee is a ministerial-level meeting body between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the UAE Ministry of Economy, established in 2006 by agreement of the two heads of state. It is an economic cooperation channel that oversees and coordinates inter-ministerial cooperation matters.

From Korea, Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, attended as the chief representative, along with officials from key ministries including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

From the UAE, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, attended as the chief representative, accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Trade, deputy ministers, and representatives from the Ministries of Health, Energy and Infrastructure, and Education.

At the meeting, they comprehensively reviewed the agreements from the 6th Joint Committee and cooperative projects discussed at the summit, and discussed discovering new and follow-up projects. Through this, they achieved results in cooperation areas including future-oriented technology and innovation, energy and infrastructure, health and medical care, and human exchange.

The desert rice project in the Middle East region, promoted at the request of the UAE side, succeeded in its first demonstration test in May, and they agreed to proceed with follow-up research to secure the economic feasibility of rice cultivation.

In the energy sector, cooperation plans include not only oil, gas, and nuclear power but also renewable energy fields such as hydrogen cities. They also requested cooperation to increase the participation of Korean companies in infrastructure projects within the UAE. Support at the UAE government level was requested to resolve difficulties faced by Korean companies due to delays in construction work in the UAE caused by COVID-19.

Regarding COVID-19, the two countries will also strengthen cooperation. Both sides have already implemented exports of COVID-19 diagnostic kits and introduced a rapid entry system between the two countries. They plan to further expand mutual exchanges and cooperation between medical personnel and medical institutions.

Additionally, although the dispatch of government-funded patients for treatment supported by the UAE government for parliamentary treatment was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, they agreed to resume it once the situation stabilizes.

Meanwhile, a Ministry of Economy and Finance official said, "The UAE is a key cooperation partner in the energy and infrastructure sectors and is gaining importance as a partner responding to the 4th Industrial Revolution and the post-COVID era," adding, "We plan to activate cooperation with the UAE in various fields through future Economic Joint Committees and deputy minister-level review meetings."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.