Newsletter No. 175
January 29, 2006

 

The Emirates News Agency (WAM) ran a story yesterday about a symposium on Japan-UAE technical cooperation. Last year there were rumors of problems in Japan-UAE relations. With the Dubai-Osaka Economic Partnership Forum of last month and now this event, it seems that matters are now running smoothly again.

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NAHYAN INAUGURATES UAE-JAPAN SYMPOSIUM

Abu Dhabi, 28 Jan. 2006 (WAM)--The third joint UAE-JAPAN symposium on "Sustainable GCC Environment and Water Resources" was inaugurated here today by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahayn, Minister of Education.

Organised by the UAE university in conjunction with Japan Cooperation Centre - Petroleum JCCP, the symposium features 58 papers from Japan, GCC countries, Canada, USA, Iran, Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Pakistan , India in addition to other countries.

In his inaugural address, Sheikh Nahyan hailed the UAE cooperation with Japan, saying that the UAE under the able leadership of President H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan would continue to support this cooperation until its ultimate goals are achieved.

"The importance of this symposium stems from the dire need to strike a balance between our developmental needs and conservation of our environmental and water resources", said Sheikh Nahyan.

Japanese ambassador to the UAE Hajime Tsujimoto also addressed the symposium and stressed the importance of cooperation between the UAE and Japan, not only in the area of environment but also in other areas.

Ambassador Tsujimoto noted that the massive development projects executed by the UAE did not deflect the attention of its founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan from issues of environmental conservation.

For the last 13 years, the JCCP has been organizing annual symposia to promote the improvement of environments under desert conditions, focusing on greenery development. These symposia have been held in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as in Japan, and have attracted considerable interest from the scientists and professionals in those countries.

"In bringing together these scientists, the symposia provided forums for exchanging views and information on multitudes of issues ranging from water purification, usage and water management, to desert greening", said Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, Assistant Provost for Research at UAE University.

Al Shamsi, who is also Chair of the Symposium said that the objectives of the symposium are to provide a timely international forum for technical activities, cooperation, opportunity and fellowship among researchers and engineers by developing focused session topics with high quality papers.

It also aims at promoting technical progress and activities, international technological transfer and cooperation, and providing opportunities for researchers to maintain and improve technical competence.

Promotion of interdisciplinary interaction between academia and industry, and establishment of high international standards for publication and world wide distribution are also among other objectives, she concluded.