States For Play

HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with HE Radosław Sikorski, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, in June 2014 to discuss a strategy to enhance and consolidate ties between the two nations. What have you identified as priority areas for developing bilateral trade and investment between the UAE and Poland?

During the meeting with HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on June 16, 2014, Foreign Minister RadosÅ‚aw Sikorski stressed that the UAE holds the position as our largest economic partner in the Arab world. In 2013, trade turnover exceeded $860 million, and for 1Q2014 it amounted to over $430 million. Polish exports are dominated by mechanical and electrical equipment, food products, and metal products, while imports are dominated by aluminum and articles of base metal, plastic products, and mechanical and electrical devices. One of our export hits is the Arabian horse. Since 1970, Janów Podlaski holds an annual Arabian horse auction, which attracts traders from all over the world. The fastest Arabian horses appeared on August 25, 2014 at the Warsaw racetrack during the 10 races scheduled as part of the UAE Day. Personally, I would be interested in developing cooperation in the field of tourism. Tourism is very important to the Polish economy; it creates more than 6% of GDP. Tourism is an industry of the 21st Century, which processes the unique climate and landscape of the country, its historical background, and its ethnic, cultural, and political significance for economic benefits. In this regard, we have vast room for cooperation. Tourist trips allow for a better understanding and the bringing together of societies, but are also often the beginning of business contacts and cooperation in the field of industrial cooperation and investment.

Both Poland and Dubai are focusing on becoming hubs for medical tourism in their respective regions. What synergies or areas of collaboration do you foresee in regard to the mutual development of medical tourism?

Poland is one of Europe’s leading directions in the field of medical tourism. It is estimated that each year, just for this purpose, Poland is visited by more than 300,000 foreigners. We specialize in strictly medical treatments, including surgery, plastic surgery, dentistry, rehabilitation, diagnostics, as well as in the delivery of services in the field of spa treatment, relaxation, and detoxification treatment. Poland is known for its centuries-old tradition of spa treatment and rehabilitation, with the use of rich natural resources and physical methods. We also have a large number of spa and wellness clinics. I also know that the UAE specializes in medical tourism, and plans involve receiving 500,000 medical tourists a year by 2020. We are not competitors, and can work together.

Dubai is expected to receive 20 million tourists by 2020. What are the peculiarities of Dubai as a touristic destination?

To achieve success in foreign tourism, it is crucial to facilitate the organization of trips. Poles are very mobile. In 2013, they participated in nearly 10 million trips abroad. I am very pleased to see that with the start of direct flights between Warsaw and Dubai on February 6, 2013, and with the elimination on March 22, 2014, of the obligation to obtain promises of visa upon arrival in the UAE, the number of Polish tourists traveling to the UAE is significantly increasing. Polish tourists appreciate leisure in good conditions combined with possibilities for satisfying their curiosity. The UAE answers that need. Some of the local investments have no equal in the world. They attract with great resorts, the scale of buildings, as well as with modern technologies. Cleanliness and order draw particular attention.