UAE delegation visits Netherlands, Belgium to explore cooperation opportunities in R&D, critical, emerging, advanced technologies

THE HANGUE(Netherlands): JA UAE delegation led by Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology, concluded a successful visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and imec’s headquarters in Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.

The initial part of the visit, to the Netherlands, focused on exploring bilateral relations in critical, emerging, and advanced technologies, while spearheading strategic collaboration in mutual priority areas such as R&D, innovation, and advanced technologies, as part of the UAE’s unwavering commitment to strengthening partnerships with the country. Ameirah AlHefeiti, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, accompanied the delegation throughout a series of engagements with high-level officials and Dutch entities.

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

The delegation also participated in a technology and innovation roundtable session with leading Dutch entities, focusing on emerging and advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, space tech, health tech, and scientific research.

Furthermore, the delegation visited several leading Dutch institutions, including TNO, Deltares, ASML, and Eindhoven University of Technology, to explore potential cooperation on the latest innovations in applied research, water research and technology, semiconductor technology, and academic-industrial collaboration.

Following the visit to the Netherlands, the UAE delegation concluded its tour by visiting imec’s headquarters and laboratories in Belgium, the world-leading independent research and innovation center for nanoelectronics and digital technologies.

The delegation included Nouf Al Hameli, Science and Technology Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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). (ANI/WAM)