The UAE has joined the Central American Integration System or SICA as a Non-Regional Observer Member State. The state’s agreement to join the organization was signed during the SICA Ministerial Council meeting in San José, Costa Rica.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation emphasized the UAE’s assistance to the success of the SICA’s noble endeavors in a video conference.
This achievement, according to the UAE Foreign Minister, shows the UAE’s remarkable relations with countries in Central America and the Caribbean.
“On behalf of the United Arab Emirates, I would like to express my gratitude to the respected Members of the Central American Integration System, as well as their representatives, for the cordial invitation issued to the UAE to join SICA as a Non-Regional Observer Member State,” he stated.
He also remarked that the economic links between the UAE and the SICA Member States are continuing to grow and prosper, with mutual trade relations increasing by more than 40 percent in the last five years.
The upward trajectory of trade between two regions, coupled with over $670 million in UAE investments in the region since 2003, reflected on a shared desire to build a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship.
To encourage partnership, the UAE has shared a number of strategic priorities with the SICA Member States, ranging from human rights to climate change and biodiversity, progressive economies to balanced development, peace and security to education and health. In addition, the country has been a leader in urban and rural development, sustainable mobility and connectivity, and renewable energy, tourism, supply chains and logistics, artificial intelligence, food security, youth and women’s empowerment.
The UAE will soon host one of the most important events in the world, Expo 2020 Dubai, with hopes to find methods to capitalize on this global event in order to serve the joint aims of exploring collaboration through SICA.
