UK leader Starmer heads to Gulf to talk trade, investment

LONDON

Britain's leader Keir Starmer makes his first trip to the Gulf as prime minister from on Sunday, seeking to attract investment from the region's oil-rich states, Downing Street announced.

Starmer will first visit the United Arab Emirates and then travel to Saudi Arabia, before stopping off in Greek Cyprus on his way back to London tomorrow in a bid "to build closer ties and drive long term U.K. growth"

The trip to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh comes as his Labour government pursues a free-trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council's six nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.

"There is huge untapped potential in this region, which is why, while here, I will be making the case to accelerate progress on the Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement," Starmer said in a statement released on Dec. 7.

The British leader will hold talks today with the UAE’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Later today, Starmer will fly to Saudi Arabia to meet Riyadh's de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who last week hosted French President Emmanuel Macron.

A Downing Street press release called the UAE and Saudi "some of the UK's most vital modern-day partners".

The regional tour will end tomorrow with Starmer meeting Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia, the first bilateral talks between the leaders of Britain and Greek Cyprus in over five decades.

Labour has staked its credibility on a promise to get Britain's sluggish economy firing again.

It says a GCC agreement could boost bilateral trade, currently accounting for 55 billion pounds ($70 bn) of U.K. trade, by 16 percent.

It hopes a deal would see Gulf sovereign wealth funds invest in a range of sectors, including energy and infrastructure, while also opening up lucrative markets to British firms.