- UAE, France discuss aviation partnership in Paris.
- 58 weekly flights link UAE, France; Airbus ties strong.
- Focus on air transport, manufacturing for economic growth.
The officials from the UAE and France met in Paris to strengthen their partnership in civil aviation. Their discussions focused on air transport, aircraft manufacturing, and the sectors linked to these. On an official visit, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority, negotiated with Marc Borel, Acting Director General of the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
The meeting that had UAE Ambassador Fahad Saeed Mohammed Abdulla Al Raqbani present, highlighted the role of aviation in leading economic growth, getting investments, and tourism. At present, the UAE and France operate 58 weekly direct flights. These flights connect the UAE hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi with several French cities and are mainly operated by Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Air France.
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This strong connectivity system is a reflection of a well-thought-out strategic partnership. Besides passenger use, the UAE is a major customer for the French manufacturer Airbus, as Emirates has a fleet of 116 A380s—the largest in the world—and has placed orders for 65 A350-900s. Air Arabia has also increased its Airbus fleet.
Moreover, the two parties announced their intention to extend their collaboration beyond the existing situations in the field of aviation with the aim of unlocking new opportunities for economic and tourism growth. The talks focused on the strengths of the bilateral relations and the potential of growth in air transport and manufacturing, by which aviation becomes the core of their economic strategy.