Australia–United Arab Emirates relations

Australia – United Arab Emirates relations refer to the bilateral ties between Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE maintains an embassy in Canberra whilst Australia has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai.

Visits

There have been a number of high-level meetings between Australian and Emirati government officials; in February 2010, UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan made a historic first official visit to Australia. During the tour, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a Joint Committee on Consular Affairs was signed by Nahyan and Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith.^[1]!

Transport links

Emirates Airlines offers direct services from Dubai to Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Etihad Airways offers direct services from Abu Dhabi to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Qantas offers direct services from Dubai to Sydney and Melbourne.

Trade

Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to the United Arab Emirates (A$ millions) since 1988

Monthly value of UAE merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988

The UAE is identified by Australia as its largest market in the Persian Gulf region. ^{[citation needed]} As of 2008-09, trade between the UAE and Australia was valued to A$5.5 billion. Of this, Australian exports to the UAE were A$3.6 billion, while UAE exports to Australia were A$1.9 billion (including crude petroleum imports worth A$1.7 billion).