The Diplomat
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, met yesterday in Abu Dhabi with the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail Al Mazrouei, to whom he conveyed the interest of Spanish companies in continuing to participate in the development of transport, logistics and mobility infrastructure in the region.
According to a press release from the Ministry, Puente offered the “extensive knowledge and experience of Spanish companies in the deployment of these projects,” emphasizing the railway sector, in which “Spain is at the forefront of the international industry.”
In this regard, the minister showed special interest in the United Arab Emirates’ commitment to the development of the railway as a key mode of transport for people and goods. Thus, on Sunday he held a meeting with Shadi Malak, CEO of the company Etihad Rail, which leads the construction of the future high-speed line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, a fundamental project for territorial cohesion and the decarbonization of the region.
Spanish companies are also interested in providing their expertise in the development of road, port and airport infrastructure, such as the Al Maktoum International Airport project in the Dubai World Central area, which, once completed, will have a capacity for 160 million passengers, twice as many as the current Dubai International Airport, making it one of the largest in the world.
The minister participated yesterday in a reception with representatives of Spanish companies present in the country, such as Mafex, Sener, Renfe, Ineco, Indra, Talgo, Caf and Danovant, and on Tuesday he will visit the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conferences (GRTIEC), the railway transport and infrastructure fair, which is being held these days in the Emirate and which will address the various challenges facing the sector, such as its digitalisation, competitiveness and governance.
