Birla first Lok Sabha Speaker to address UAE Federal National Council

The shared concern of India and the UAE on the increasing threats from religious extremism and terrorism is reshaping cooperation between the two countries, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday.

Birla's remarks came during his address to the Federal National Council (FNC) of the UAE in Abu Dhabi, the first by a Lok Sabha Speaker to the FNC.

Underlining that both the countries have a long history of friendship and partnership, the Speaker said the similarity of views India and the UAE on bilateral and multilateral issues has deepened this relationship.

He emphasised that the regular visits of senior leaders and citizens to each other's countries, both have developed close cultural ties and people-to-people contacts.

Condemning the recent terror attack in UAE, he advocated the need for unity among nations in the fight against terrorism.

"For global security, stability and sustainable development, it is necessary that all the nations of the world come together to fight the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism. The shared concern of India and UAE with regard to the increasing threats from religious extremism and terrorism to safety of people, is reshaping cooperation between the two countries in the current regional and global scenario," he said.

Both India and UAE should utilise the present opportunities and unite to further strengthen friendship and partnership so that people of both countries can get maximum benefit from it, he said. Birla also appreciated UAE's decision to widen democracy and ensure women's participation in Parliament.

On economic ties, he said UAE companies can take advantage of the new opportunities arising in the fields of digital economy, human resources and smart urbanisation in India. He also appealed to UAE investors to invest in India, saying that the country is ready to share its capabilities in the field of space and IT with the UAE.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UAE visit in 2015 and the visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India the next year, Birla said that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries has given a new dimension to bilateral relations and strengthened the base for future economic development.

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