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France inked a strategic partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi investor Mubadala on artificial intelligence, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told AFP. The agreement will cover four new areas of cooperation, including investments in data centers and semiconductors, as well as research and skill development through the Abu Dhabi branch of the Sorbonne, the minister said.
“France has chosen to be the leading country in Europe on AI, and for that, we need partners,” Le Maire said during a visit to the UAE.
Background: Mubadala has already invested in France’s chip industry as a majority shareholder of GlobalFoundaries, which is building a semiconductor facility in the country with STMicroelectronics, according to AFP, which quotes Le Maire as saying that the country wants to “accelerate the deployment of these investments and expand them.”
ALSO- France is “open” to the UAE investing in its nuclear industry, including in private companies such as nuclear fuel company Orano, Le Maire told reporters in Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters, adding that he plans to hold discussions on this with senior UAE officials during his visit. Le Maire met with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the chairman of state Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp and managing director of Mubadala, yesterday. He was also to meet with Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber.
France is also willing to help the UAE if it decides to expand its own nuclear power industry, according to Le Maire. “If there is any possibility to extend the cooperation to the UAE on the nuclear field, we stand ready for that,” Le Maire said.
REFRESHER- The UAE is eyeing nuclear investments in Europe, and has reportedly held talks with the UK, among other European countries, to explore potential investments in the continent’s nuclear power infrastructure, Reuters reported in April. Among the potential investments is Enec buying minority stakes in European nuclear assets, with the goal of “becoming an international nuclear energy company holding minority stakes in nuclear power infrastructure of other nations, without managing or operating them.” It is also expected to tender for four new reactors for a second potential nuclear plant, we reported earlier.
Le Maire also met with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss strategic relations in tech, industry, energy, and the economy, Wam reported.
AND- The UAE is set to expand AI collaboration with the US, state minister for AI Omar Sultan Al Olama told Reuters yesterday, stating that there are more joint investments in the AI sector in the pipeline for the two “strategic partners.” Al Olama also mentioned that the UAE has approached potential partners for the development of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to power data centers, although no final agreements have been reached yet.
OTHER DIPLOMACY NEWS-
- President Al Nahyan also held a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel to discuss cooperation and the situation in Gaza. (Wam)
