Between 18 and 20 November 2016, the Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, attended the Forum Sir Bani Yas meeting in Abu Dhabi.
Invited by his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister Jean Asselborn recently took part in the Forum Sir Bani Yas meeting on conflict resolution.
Several other Ministers of Foreign Affairs from EU Member states, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) attended the informal meeting, along with politicians and defense members, where they exchanged opinions on the regional situation in its entirety.
Less than one year after the agreement was made on Iran’s nuclear development, those present at the meeting firstly discussed Iran’s influence and role on regional affairs. The discussions, which took place via interactive round tables, then turned to the issue of the latest developments in Syria and Iraq as well as the fight against ISIS and international terrorism. Likewise, the participants emphasised the role of Turkey in the region before discussing the peace process in the Near and Middle East. They also reflected on the potential consequences of Trump’s presidency on the region.
On the final day of the visit, Minister Jean Asselborn met with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Firstly, the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs discussed several key topics related to bilateral relations. Sheikh Abdullah notably appreciated the fact that Luxembourg was one of the first countries to confirm its participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai.
The ministers jointly agreed on the excellent relations between the two countries, not only on a political and cultural level, but also an economic and commercial one. They declared their desire to strengthen and highlight the links between their countries and congratulated each other on the dynamism of their exchanges.
The meeting enabled both ministers to review the current regional and international political situations and to focus more particularly on the situation in the Middle East. In light of recent international developments, the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs notably dealt with the situation in Iraq and Syria as well as the latest developments in Turkey and the fight against religious extremism.
Photo by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. From left to right: Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the UAE
