Lima, Peru, 8th June, 2023 (WAM) — The UAE and the Republic of Peru signed an air services agreement, with Mohammed Abdullah Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Peru, signing on behalf of the UAE and Gervasi Díaz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing Peru.
This agreement will open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries and promote intra-trade.
Al Shamsi pointed out that non-oil bilateral trade with Peru for 2022 amounted to US$800 million, and UAE investments in Peru over the last five years exceeded US$700 million, while intra-trade reached US$4.4 billion in the same period.
He added, “The Memorandum of Understanding for political consultations in 2009 and the visa waiver agreement between the two countries in 2019 have already been signed, and today we are signing the air services agreement. In the near future, we hope to sign an agreement to protect and promote investment and avoid double taxation, in addition to other agreements that are expected to be in the interest of our two peoples and in line with our common aspirations for further development and prosperity.”
Al Shamsi stressed that this agreement will contribute to the growth of trade exchange in a manner that supports the development agenda of the two countries, promotes the sustainability of their economies, and bolsters bilateral aviation ties.
He added, “This comes as part of efforts to reinforce bilateral relations with the Republic of Peru and will also benefit our national airlines and several other sectors in the country, directly affecting the growth of air traffic between the airports of the UAE and Peru, which will help strengthen trade, economic, and tourism relations between the two countries.”
For her part, Díaz said that the UAE is an important partner, as it is the largest Arab country investing in Peru, stressing that the UAE is the first nation in the Middle East to sign an agreement on air services with the South American country.
She stressed that the signing of the air services agreement with the UAE will enable Peru to act as a communication center for the networks of airlines in Latin America, highlighting that the signing of the agreement is a significant achievement and a milestone in the strong relations between Peru and the UAE.
Díaz stated that the signing of the agreement will allow the establishment of new air routes that will promote travel for tourism and business purposes between Peru and Arab countries, as well as Asian and Pacific countries.