Discussions on bilateral cooperation on climate change, regional security LONDON: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, met the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly on Monday for the inaugural UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue, the Emirates News Agency reported. The discussions underscored the strength of the bilateral relationship, highlighting the range of collaboration between the two countries, their common history, and their continuous commitment to developing connections and improving relations. Both representatives agreed on the need for cooperation in addressing global challenges, and stressed the importance of an inclusive and ambitious agenda for the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Dubai later in the year. The dialogue commended the UK and UAE’s commercial and investment ties, as well as their aviation cooperation. It lauded the achievement of growing commerce in goods and services between the two countries, which is currently at an all-time high of £21.6 billion ($26.9 billion) for the four quarters ending in Q4 2022. In addition, the dialogue welcomed the success of the Sovereign Investment Partnership, which was signed in 2021 and emphasized the commitment to growing and developing trade and investment links between the two countries in mutually beneficial areas. The two sides also lauded their countries’ existing partnerships in the fields of energy and clean energy. The representatives underlined the importance of coordination at the UN Security Council and praised the UAE’s leadership on the recent UNSC resolutions on Afghanistan. They held lengthy discussions on shared priorities at the UNSC, such as advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, promoting tolerance and counter-extremism, addressing the impacts of climate change on international peace and security, as well as conflict prevention and peaceful solutions, peace building and sustaining peace, and combating intolerance, hate speech, discrimination, and all forms of extremism. Discussions reviewed regional security and stability and emphasized the significance of dialogue and creating bridges to achieve peace, touching on developments in Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Sheikh Abdullah and Cleverly agreed on the importance of working together to support diplomatic measures and channels aimed at resolving conflict in Ukraine in accordance with UN Charter principles.