The UAE and UK can take their relationship to new levels as Andy Burnham's government gets up and running, the Emirates' ambassador to London has told The National.
Mansoor Abulhoul, who has been the UAE ambassador to the UK since 2019, identified a series of strong points in the friendship, including close ties to the growth of Manchester under Mr Burnham's mayoralty, where he served until last month.
The UAE has experienced growing trade, investment and people-to-people links since the start of this decade, including a Sovereign Investment Partnership and the signing of a GCC Free Trade Agreement with the UK earlier this year.
“I think we have a great story to tell,” Mr Abulhoul said. “The strength of the trade numbers are good, including a bilateral trade surplus in favour of the UK.
“We've had the announcement of this very important milestone, the UK GCC FTA. We've got a whole load of building blocks in place.”
The next step would be to secure a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) to solidify existing arrangements and stretch to new and developing areas of growth.
A framework agreement between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the outgoing British government foresaw this enhanced relationship across foreign affairs, bilateral affairs, security, the economy and emerging areas of technology and AI.
Mr Abulhoul noted that the new UK government has a cabinet position for AI, something that is established in the UAE. “We have the basis in place from which to build with a new prime minister who's very much driven and psyched to deliver for the people of the United Kingdom in terms of jobs, and doing something that he feels is going to make a real difference to them,” he said.
Opening a new Manchester government base, No 10 North, Mr Burnham on Friday convened a new economic council. After talking to business leaders, he called for a new partnership approach. For businesses to “take seriously their responsibility to deliver good growth”, he said there could be a relationship of shared ambition.
The UAE as an international investor partner can stand up credibly and say “this is what we've done, and we have an appetite to do more”, Mr Abulhoul added.
The 2021 investment partnership committed the UAE to investing £10 billion in the UK, but the figure has already ballooned to three times that. It is estimated that 200,000 UK jobs are tied directly to UAE investments.
The Labour government under Keir Starmer took a proactive approach to ties with the UAE. With the outbreak of the US-Iran war, the UK participated in defensive actions to help the UAE.
“We had good co-ordination with Keir Starmer, who [reflected that] we share a deep history and connectivity between people and friendships,” Mr Abulhoul said.
“I think it's about building the future, building the sectors of the future. And Andy Burnham from his role as the mayor of Greater Manchester really understands what a partner like the UAE has to offer the United Kingdom in terms of long-term patient investment in communities.”
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Heron House in Albert Square, Manchester, which will be the interim base of the British government's so-called Number 10 of the North. Getty Images -
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrives to open No 10 North at Heron House. Getty Images -
Recently built skyscrapers tower over a modernised Manchester. Getty Images -
The Murrays' Mills development in Ancoats, Manchester. Photo: Manchester Life -
Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City FC, with the Ancoats and Islington neighbourhoods in the background, all in the recently developed East Manchester. Getty Images -
The Aviva Studios arts venue, home of Factory International, after it opened in 2023. Getty Images -
The soaring towers of the Deansgate Square apartment buildings in 2022. Getty Images -
An aerial view of Old Trafford, home of Manchester United FC, all lit up in 2022. The club are considering building a new 100,000-seat stadium. Getty Images -
Police evacuate the Arndale Centre in 2017 after an explosion at Manchester Arena. Getty Images -
The new BBC Media City studios take shape as construction work at Salford Quays progresses in 2009. Getty Images -
Urbis Exhibition Centre on Deansgate, central Manchester, in 2008. It is now the home of the National Football Museum. Getty Images -
Developments in Manchester city centre in 1972. Getty Images -
The assembly line where Lancaster bombers were constructed, in Manchester, 1943. Getty Images -
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during an inspection of air-raid damage in Manchester, during the Blitz of the Second World War, 1941. Getty Images -
A group of boys playing football in the street in Salford in 1938. Who needs goalposts when you could paint them on the wall? Getty Images -
The Manchester Ship Canal in 1935. It opened in 1894, connecting the city to the Irish Sea. Getty Images
As major backers of strategic urban redevelopment projects, UAE investors worked with Mr Burnham's team throughout his seven years as mayor. Not only is there continuing regeneration around the Manchester City footprint but also the Etihad Campus development, music venue Coop Live and most recently Ancoats redevelopment.
“The urban regeneration project of Manchester is pretty remarkable,” he said. “The whole approach to international investors is to judge by what they bring to communities up and down the country. And I think with the UAE, you've got already a proven partner that has done that task well.”
With the GCC FTA likely to complete ratification during 2027 across the bloc, British officials have told Mr Abulhoul there is no reason talks on a Cepa could not begin under the new government.
This would address the wider advances in the investment relationship as well as technology, data and services. These areas traditionally lie beyond the scope of conventional trade agreements.
“Areas in data, digital, recognition around professional services are where the two countries' economies are more advanced and we could go further and faster,” Mr Abulhoul said.
Links between research and technology hubs, including Manchester and Cambridge as well as Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah are another obvious upgrade.
And developments in areas of mobility, including electric vehicles, highlight the nature of the two economies developing along similar tracks.
Fundamental aspects of the relationship remain unchanged by events and mean the UK stands as a trusted partner that serves as a host for long-term capital.
“There's a lot of areas that stand out where we could be much more ambitious given the nature of the two open economies,” he adds. “I think it would generate a lot of political capital.”
