The UAE-Japan Friendship Committee for Women's Career Development, which supports the empowerment of women in the oil and gas industry, has held its sixth meeting in the Japanese capital, Tokyo.

The meeting was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, GWU, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, FDF, and the Honorary President of the Committee.

The meeting, which runs from 7th - 15th December, is being attended by the members of the founding committee - Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Advisor to the Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum Operations, and Tsuyoshi Nakai, Chief Executive Officer of the Japan Cooperation Centre, Petroleum JCCP.

The meeting was organised after the committee drafted its strategic and operational plan, based on the establishment of three goals, which include strengthening bilateral relations between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, and Petroleum JCCP, and advancing women's roles in the two institutions.

Forums on women’s leadership were held on the sidelines of the committee meeting, which allowed participants from the UAE, Japan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman to exchange experiences and improve their ideas and initiatives.

Dr. Al Shamsi delivered a speech where she conveyed the greetings of Sheikha Fatima, the Mother of the UAE, and her wishes of success to the meeting’s participants.

She also highlighted Sheikha Fatima’s interest in the meeting, which gathers together female leaders who represent women in the Gulf in particular, and Muslim women in general.

Dr. Al Shamsi expressed her gratitude to Dr. Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and CEO of the ADNOC Group, as well as to Ali Al Shamsi and Nakai, for supporting the committee in achieving its goals, which comply with the vision of ADNOC and Petroleum JCCP to promote the position of women in the oil and gas sector.