The 17th session of the UAE-France Strategic Dialogue took place in Paris on May 23, 2025, reinforcing the longstanding strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and the French Republic. This meeting was guided by the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron.

For over 50 years, the UAE and France have cultivated a robust relationship characterized by friendship and mutual trust, as evidenced by landmark projects like the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. This year’s dialogue focused on cooperation in six priority areas: economy, education, culture, space, nuclear energy, and health, where both parties agreed on new joint initiatives.

A significant outcome of the dialogue was the signing of a Political Consultations Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement establishes a formal framework for high-level political dialogue between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The MoU was signed by Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, and Frédéric Mondoloni, Director-General for Political and Security Affairs, following the first bilateral political consultations session held in Paris on April 8, 2025.

During this session, co-chaired by Nusseibeh and Mondoloni, both sides exchanged strategic assessments and policy perspectives on regional developments and multilateral cooperation. The signing of the MoU reflects a shared commitment to institutionalize political coordination at the highest levels.

Both delegations acknowledged the strength of their economic relationship and sought to build on momentum from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s official visit to Paris in February 2025. This visit aimed to enhance their shared ambition of becoming strategic partners in artificial intelligence. Furthermore, they discussed major Emirati investments announced during the Choose France Summit to foster this partnership and reviewed ongoing initiatives from previous agreements.

The dialogue also touched on various strategic projects involving investments, transportation, technology, and energy between companies in both nations. Both parties expressed support for launching negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the UAE and the European Union.

In the field of education, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the French school network and introducing French as a third language in public schools. The UAE Ministry of Education will explore the feasibility of integrating the French language from primary school onwards to enhance educational outcomes.

The ongoing collaboration in higher education was also highlighted, particularly the development of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, which is expected to renew its 10-year agreement in 2026. The two nations welcomed successes in new technologies, including the launch of 42 Abu Dhabi and a video game design program by Rubika, as well as a collaboration between École Polytechnique and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Additionally, a conference on research and innovation is planned for Abu Dhabi by the end of 2025, which could further strengthen the bilateral relationship. Both parties celebrated the success of the Louvre Abu Dhabi as a cultural partnership flagship and expressed interest in continuing cooperation through initiatives like the Muséopro training program.

Regarding space cooperation, both nations intend to expand their collaboration in exploration, particularly in human spaceflight, and are committed to fostering a space ecosystem involving stakeholders from both countries.

In the nuclear energy sector, both sides reaffirmed their partnership in peaceful nuclear energy, noting the ongoing cooperation among various UAE and French institutions. They emphasized their commitment to the Tripling Nuclear Energy initiative and discussed future opportunities in advanced reactor technologies, small modular reactors, and sustainable hydrogen production.

In health, the dialogue included discussions on enhancing bilateral healthcare cooperation through academic and hospital collaborations, patient care facilitation, and engagements with international partners like the OECD and Sanofi. Both nations also explored opportunities in AI training and genomics.

Lastly, the Strategic Dialogue addressed regional and international issues, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to peace, stability, and security in accordance with international law.

UAE attendees included Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the President; Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State; and other officials from various sectors. Both sides emphasized their commitment to deepening the enduring strategic partnership between the UAE and France.