Visa- free travel to benefit business and tourism

Israel and the UAE agreed to visa- free travel yesterday, an unprecedented arrangement between Israel and an Arab state, signed as the first ever official UAE delegation landed in Tel Aviv. The visit was hailed as a “glorious day for peace” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu vowed that visafree travel will “offer a huge boost for business [ and] tourism”. Head of the UAE delegation Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said the UAE was committed to being a “regional leader in terms of economic reform... international trade, political stability and peacemaking.”

“I express my gratitude and appreciation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hosting and welcoming the UAE delegation here in Tel Aviv. The historic peace accord signed was the first step taken towards achieving security and stability in the region, and a means to provide more opportunities for future generations,” Al Tayer added.

The UAE and Israel later signed the following agreements: an agreement on the promotion and protection of investment; agreement on air services; agreement onmutual exemption of entry visa requirements; memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the fields of improvement and development of science and technology; memorandum of understanding on mutual economic cooperation and declaration of intent on establishing cooperation in the field of financial services.

The UAE delegation included Abdullah Bin Touq Al Merri, Minister of Economy, Omar Saif Ghobash, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Cultural Affairs, Younus Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, and Majid Ali Omran, Adviser to the Minister of Finance.