The foreign ministers of the UAE and Spain have engaged in talks to explore opportunities for enhancing cooperation in the economic and commercial sectors. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, spoke with José Manuel Albares, Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss ways to improve bilateral relations between their countries.

Credit: ARN News

During this call, they also reviewed various regional and international issues that are of mutual concern, as reported by the national news agency Wam. Both nations enjoy robust economic and cultural relations, with the tourism sector being a significant beneficiary. In 2024, Spain welcomed over 200 000 visitors from the UAE.

Currently, there are approximately 48 weekly flights operating between the UAE and Spain, facilitated by airlines from both nations. Earlier this year, in May, the UAE Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al, discussed strengthening partnerships in the tourism sector with Rosario Sánchez Grau, the Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism. Bin Touq emphasized the importance of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to support the sustainability and competitiveness of the UAE’s tourism sector over the next decade. He stated that the UAE continues to support initiatives for global tourism growth and seeks to collaborate with the UN Tourism and its member states to expand cooperation in various tourism sub-sectors.

The meeting between the ministers also focused on the potential for establishing new partnerships to increase mutual tourism flows between the two nations.