Abu Dhabi (WAM)
Today, the UAE, the sisterly State of Qatar, participates in its celebrations of its National Day, which falls on December 18 of each year, as an embodiment of the brotherly relations between the two countries under the umbrella of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
The celebration comes under the slogan “Emirates Qatar.. Happy New Year.” The UAE is witnessing a series of events and performances related to the occasion, which include decorating a number of the country’s most prominent landmarks, institutions, sites and major shopping centers with the Qatari flag, as well as banners of congratulations that decorate digital signage on the main roads. And a special stamp for the passports of Qatari citizens coming to the country through airports and various ports.
The two countries have strong and well-established fraternal relations, which lay the foundation for a prosperous future for the two countries and the two brotherly peoples, under the umbrella of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. These are historical ties supported by the common cultural and social heritage that allowed the consolidation of relations that were reflected in many sectors, especially economic, cultural and creative relations. The high-level meetings held between the two countries enhance work to coordinate cooperation in issues of common concern in the Gulf, regionally and internationally.
On the economic level, non-oil trade exchange between the UAE and Qatar grew during the first nine months of this year by 145% to 22.6 billion dirhams at the end of last September, compared to 9 billion dirhams for the same period last year, according to data from the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics. The data showed an increase in UAE imports from Qatar during the first nine months of the year to 6.2 billion dirhams, compared to 4 billion dirhams, and total non-oil exports rose to 16.4 billion dirhams, compared to 5.5 billion dirhams during the comparison period. The growth in the volume of bilateral non-oil trade exchange between the two countries during the period 2017-2021 reached a rate of 47%.
Qatar is the sixth investment partner of the UAE at the Arab level and the 26th globally in terms of the cumulative balance of foreign direct investment entering the UAE until the beginning of 2021.
The common cultural and social heritage represents one of the elements of fraternal relations and the deep-rooted historical ties between the two countries and the two brotherly peoples.
