A group of seven British Members of Parliament arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday at the beginning of a four-day visit to the United Arab Emirates. The delegation is led by Kevan Jones MP, a member of Britain's governing Labour Party, who is also the Chairman of the UAE -UK All-Party Parliamentary Group, and includes members from both the Labour and Conservative parties. During their visit, the group will meet a wide-range of senior political and business leaders in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The purpose of these regular visits is to widen their knowledge of the UAE and the opportunities for deepening economic and political ties between the two countries among British Parliamentarians from all parties. In a statement to the UAE news agency "WAM," Jones said that: "we are looking forward to learning more about the Government's ambitious plans for the next phase in the UAE's transformation. British companies and institutions, as well as the large number of British expatriates living here, are already playing a significant part in that process. The UAE is now Britain's ninth largest global trading partner and the biggest in the region. Part of our work as MPs is to ensure our Government and business community recognize the level of engagement that is required if British expertise is to continue to play a leading role in this flourishing and dynamic economy.
