The UAE-Lithuanian Economic Forum was launched today in Dubai, with the participation of Dalia Grybauskait?, President of the Republic of Lithuania, and Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, as part of the expanded visit of Grybauskait? and her official and commercial delegation to the UAE.

The Forum, the first of its kind between the two countries and organised by the Ministry of Economy, in co-operation with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was attended by many high-level officials from both sides, along with senior representatives of companies and the business and investment communities of both countries, numbering some 200 participants that included 50 from Lithuanian commercial and investment companies.

The UAE was represented by Eng. Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi, Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy; Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy for Foreign Trade and Industry Affairs; Mohammed Khamis Al Muhairi, Advisor to the Minister of Economy for Tourism Affairs; Juma Mohammed Al Kait, Assistant Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Economy; Majid Hamad Rahma Al Shamsi, First Vice Chairman of the Dubai Chamber; Khalifa Al Mansouri, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Economic Development Department; Humaid Mohammed bin Salem, Secretary-General of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Saeed Al Khyeli, Chief Executive Officer of ZonesCorp, and Mohamed Hamdan Al Zaabi, Director of the Trade Promotion Department at the Ministry of Economy, as well as other leading officials and representatives of the private sector.

The Lithuanian delegation included Linas Linkevi?ius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, ‎?ygimantas Vai?i?nas, Minister of Energy, and Arvydas Daunoravi?ius, Ambassador of Lithuania to the UAE, as well as leading Lithuanian officials and businessmen.

The Forum discussed the means of advancing the economic relations between both countries towards a new era, to achieve their interests and their development aspirations, as well as opportunities for new areas of co-operation in various economic, trade and investment fields while focussing on the establishment of a diverse roadmap, to achieve higher levels of co-operation and co-ordination in the public and private sectors.

The Forum also discussed the establishment of an effective framework to build mutual sustainable partnerships between the UAE business community and its Lithuanian counterpart, most notably in innovation, small and medium-sized projects, textile and food industries, information and telecommunication technologies, and renewable energy.