The Hague: The JA UAE team, headed by Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology Omran Sharaf, wrapped up a fruitful tour to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the headquarters of IMC in Brussels, Belgium.

As part of the UAE’s unwavering commitment to fortifying partnerships with the Netherlands, the first portion of the visit was devoted to exploring bilateral relations in critical, emerging, and advanced technologies while leading strategic collaboration in areas of mutual priority like R&D, innovation, and advanced technologies. The team was escorted by UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ameirah AlHefeiti throughout a number of meetings with Dutch authorities and high-ranking officials.

Erwin Nijsse, Director-General of Business Policy and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs; Harm van de Wetering, Director of the Netherlands Space Office; Ernst Noorman, Ambassador-at-Large for Cyber Affairs; and Michiel Sweers, Vice Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, were among the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials Sharaf met with during the two-day visit.

With an emphasis on cutting-edge and new technologies, artificial intelligence, space technology, health technology, and scientific research, the delegation also took part in a roundtable discussion on technology and innovation with prominent Dutch organizations.

In order to investigate possible collaboration on the newest advancements in applied research, water research and technology, semiconductor technology, and academic-industrial collaboration, the delegation also visited a number of prestigious Dutch institutions, including TNO, Deltares, ASML, and Eindhoven University of Technology.

The UAE group visited Imec’s headquarters and laboratory in Belgium, the world’s preeminent independent research and innovation center for digital technologies and nanoelectronics, to round off their journey after the Netherlands.

Along with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EDGE Group, Dubai Future Foundation, MGX, G42, and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the research arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), the delegation also included Nouf Al Hameli, Science and Technology Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.