But Etienne Schneider will not be going on his own. The mission, which aims to strengthen relations between the two countries, includes the hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, and people from both public and private sectors.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of close diplomatic relations between the two countries. Indeed, since 2005, 53 visits have already been carried out and in 2011, a Luxembourgish embassy was set up in Abu Dhabi.
Luxembourg’s involvement - the first country to sign the participation contract in October 2017 - in the Expo 2020 Dubai, a global exhibition that will last from October 2020 to April 2021, is further proof of the two countries’ alliance. The Grand Duchy, which will have its own pavilion during the exhibition, will be represented as a resource country.
The United Arab Emirates, composed of seven emirates, whose head of state and Prime Minister of Dubai is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has 199 Luxembourg residents.
Since 2015, exports from the Grand Duchy have been falling following the decision of an ArcelorMittal branch to export steel from production sites located abroad rather than from Luxembourg.
The Emirates have become the most important trading partner in the Middle East. About 20 Luxembourg companies are settled in the country, and apart from the exchange of services between the two countries, the Emirates also constitute an integral part of the Luxembourg financial centre, particularly in the funds sector.
The assignment, which will last until Wednesday, covers seminars on space and business, a visit to Abu Dhabi’s financial centre, and checking in on the progress of the Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2020.
