New Delhi: UAE Ambassador to India, Abdulnasser Alshaali, highlighted the growing economic partnership between the two countries, emphasising the role of the UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) in promoting bilateral trade and entrepreneurship.
The UICC, launched in January 2024, aims to maximize the benefits of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) implemented in May 2022. The Ambassador stressed the importance of business events and roundtables across India to engage entrepreneurs, especially women.
“It makes a lot of sense that we engage with entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs. Back in the UAE, we have 23,000 women managing USD 30 billion, and it’s not any less than that when it comes to India,” Ambassador Alshaali was quoted as saying news agency ANI.
Alshaali praised Indian women entrepreneurs, noting their significant contributions to the business sector and highlighting the parallel with the UAE, where 23,000 women manage USD 30 billion. He emphasised the need to recognise and support these businesses to enhance bilateral economic relations.
“You have women working in different sectors doing great stuff. They have implemented great ideas and turned into very successful businesses and it’s quite important that all of this work, those businesses are appreciated and that they are taken into consideration when we talk bilateral relationship, bilateral trade and expanding and enhancing the economic relationship between the two countries,” he said.
The Ambassador attributed the strong momentum in bilateral relations to the close ties between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the UAE leadership, resulting in increased high-level engagements and visits.
He described the UAE-India relationship as historic and ancient, rooted in centuries of cultural and business exchange, and expressed gratitude for the leadership of PM Modi and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in further strengthening this bond.
“The UAE-India relationship is a historic one and it’s an ancient one. We are very grateful that today there is a leaders like PM Modi and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who are driving this relationship even further.”
