UAE-RELATIONS - AUSTRIA-SLOVAKIA-SLOVENIA

UAE-Relations – Austria

• The friendly relationship between the UAE and the Federal Republic of Austria dates back to the era of H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan and Chancellor Bruno Kreisky. 
• The first meeting between the two leaders was in 1973 whereas the bilateral relationship between the two countries was established on 10th March, 1974. 
• Chancellor Bruno Kreisky visited the UAE 8 times in total between 1973 and 1986. 
• H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan visited Austria 4 times during the same period. 
• The relationship between H.H Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan and Chancellor Bruno Kreisky grew because of their shared aspiration for peace and stability. 
• For Austria, the UAE is not only a political partner, but the most important economic and trade partner in the Gulf region. 
• The economic partnership started about 26 years ago when Abu Dhabi company Mubadala acquired 13% of OMV shares in 1994. In 2019, Mubadala increased the stake to 25%. 
• Bilateral relations between UAE and Austria are being strengthened in various fields, especially the political and economic fields, and they have developed based on the existence of consensus between the Emirates and Austria in most visions, and the common positions towards important international and regional issues. 
• Chancellor Sebastian Kurz visited the UAE twice in 2018 and 2019 accompanied by a high-level economic delegation, which reflected the existence of political understanding regarding international issues and important regional matters in addition to bilateral issues. 
• Both the UAE and Austria wishes to contribute significantly to strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and raising them to a strategic level in various fields, especially political, economic, technical and cultural

UAE-Relations – Slovak Republic

• Diplomatic relations between the UAE and the Slovak Republic began on 1/4/1993, while the Embassy of the Slovak Republic was inaugurated in the UAE on 12/11/2013. 
• Bilateral relations between the UAE and the Slovak Republic have significantly developed since 2015 due to the desire of the leaders of the two countries to strengthen their relations. Slovakia officially opened its Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2015, and the most important bilateral agreements were signed, and many high-level visits and meetings were held. In the recent period, the two countries have been keen to strengthen their relations in various fields, especially in the security, technical, commercial and industrial fields, and in the areas of smart and digital transformation.

UAE-Relations – Slovenian Republic

• The UAE was interested in developing friendly relations with the Republic of Slovenia, as the diplomatic relations between the two countries started in 1992, and the representation level was raised to the level of Ambassadors, as His Excellency Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Owais Al Shamsi presented his credentials as the first non-resident Emirati Ambassador to President Danilo Türk on 4 /5/2010.
• The Republic of Slovenia officially opened its Embassy in the capital Abu Dhabi in 2019. 
• In September 2015, the UAE and the Republic of Slovenia signed an agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the two countries in the capital Ljubljana, which includes the establishment of a joint economic commission to strengthening bilateral cooperation in vital sectors.
• On 10/30/2019, Abu Dhabi hosted the first meeting of the Joint Economic Commission, which works on setting specific frameworks for cooperation in the tourism, information technology, food industries and civil aviation sectors.  Governmental and private communication channels was opened to follow up on the progress as well as raising the level of coordination to address any challenges stand in front of  joint development efforts.

UAE-Relations – Austria

• Bilateral relations between UAE and Austria are being strengthened in various fields, especially the political and economic fields. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz visited the UAE twice in 2018 and 2019 accompanied by a high-level economic delegation.
• Economically, there are important indicators that reflect the positive development in economic relations, such as the increase in direct investments and the volume of trade exchange between the two countries. 
• The UAE currently ranks first on the list of Austria's most important trading partners in the Middle East region and the Gulf Cooperation Council region, where the volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2019 amounted to 1,116 billion dollars including free zones. 
• The value of Emirati direct investments in Austria increased to 10.445 billion euros, while the value of Austrian direct investments in the UAE increased during 2018 to 5.589 billion euro, which reflects the efforts of the two countries to strengthen the commercial partnerships. 
• In 2018, OMV acquired stakes in two oil fields in the UAE worth 1.36 billion euro, and in 2019, OMV signed a strategic partnership agreement with ADNOC to acquire a 15% stake in ADNOC Refining Company. 
• More than 400 Austrian companies are operating in the UAE as the main center for managing their business in the Gulf, North and East Africa and parts of India, Meanwhile, the UAE has become the main crossing for Austria's exports to the Middle East region. 
• Several Austrian companies concluded significant projects in the UAE. Among them are the Al Maqta Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, Dubai Floating Bridge, the Dome of the Louvre, The Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Center

UAE-Relations – Slovak Republic

• The volume of trade exchange, including non-oil free zones, in 2019 between the two countries reached 373.1 million euros, and the volume of trade exchange including non-oil free zones in 2018 reached 398 million euros, with a change of -6.2%. The volume of non-oil direct trade exchange in 2019 reached 254.8 million euros, while 2018 was 300.5 million euros, a change of -15.2%. 
• The total number of Slovak companies in the UAE is approximately 93. Fly Dubai operates three times weekly flights to and from Bratislava.

UAE-Relations – Slovenian Republic

• The volume of trade exchange, including non-oil free zones, in 2019 amounted to 154.1 million euros, compared to 2018 being 160.8, with a significant change of -4.2%. As for the volume of non-oil direct trade exchange in 2019, it reached 98.5 million euros, compared to 2018 106.8, with a significant change of -7.7 %. 
• The number of Slovenian companies in the United Arab Emirates reached about 50 companies, while the UAE tourists came to the Republic of Slovenia about 43,483 tourists in 2016.
• The most important exported goods from the UAE to Slovenia include aluminum and its products, plastic and rubber products, clothes, essential oils, and re-exported goods from the UAE that include auto parts, machinery, appliances, electrical equipment and mechanical devices.
• The most important imported goods from Slovenia include steel, iron, wood and wood materials. Pharmaceutical products, machinery, electrical equipment and their parts, instruments, optical and photographic devices, instruments and precision instruments, medical and surgical devices, boilers, ceramic and glass products, stone and plaster.

UAE-Relations – Austria

• The Embassy held many cultural and social activities in the Republic of Austria, within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations and cultural and public diplomacy.
• On June 18, the Embassy participated in the international festival to tell the story "Folke Tegetthoff" in its 32nd session in one of the most important cultural centers in the capital Vienna, which gathered the brightest stars to tell stories from all over the world.
• On February 28, 2020, the UAE embassy in the Republic of Austria participated in the cultural celebration organized by the Arab League Mission in Austria in cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the slogan "cultural partnership and extended history", on the occasion of the launching of the activities of the Arab-Austrian cultural season 2020, which aims to enhance.
• The bonds of friendship, cultural exchange and relations between the Arab countries and the Republic of Austria. 
• The Embassy, in coordination with the Austrian side, also held the evening of the Emirati-Austrian concert, the Embassy also carried out a number of humanitarian and projects and activities in Austria that aimed to provide the necessary support and assistance to orphans and the role of the handicapped.