HE Matar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA received in his office HE Hakki Akil, Turkish Ambassador to the UAE. This visit comes within the framework of RTA’s objectives to build relationships and continued cooperation locally, regionally and internationally.
The talks focused on strengthening cooperation and exchange of expertise between RTA and its counterpart in Turkey, as well as cooperation with the Turkish establishments and companies operating in the roads and transport sector and explored the next roads and infrastructure projects in Dubai.
Al Tayer praised during the meeting the cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of Turkey saying that the UAE is attracting many Turkish investors and tourists. He also paid tribute to the performance of Turkish companies that are implementing a number of projects for the RTA, particularly the companies affiliated with the “DURAL Alliance executing the Dubai Metro Project, as well as companies carrying out roads projects, expressing his aspiration to see more Turkish companies specialized in roads, trains and transportation systems operators including buses, metro, tram and others.
“Since its inception, RTA is committed to accomplish the best practices at every stage to achieve the aspired goals of safe and smooth transport for all and contributes to highlight Dubai’s position globally, pointing out that the UAE in general and Dubai in particular have seen rapid growth and development that led to an influx of investments and tourists, which resulted in the necessity to create an infrastructure of roads and transportation networks of various kinds including Dubai Metro, marine transport, buses and taxis to accommodate the growing number of people, projects and urban expansion, said Al Tayer.
Al Tayer briefed the Turkish Ambassador to the most important projects currently being implemented by the RTA, including the modernization of roads network and the establishment of new crossings on Dubai Creek, where the number of lanes rose from 19 at the founding of the RTA to 48 lanes in 2008, not to mention the Dubai Metro whose two Green and Red lines length is 75 km, and the marine transport projects, which include the Water Bus, Water Taxi and Dubai Ferry, as well as the development of public transport bus fleet through the purchase of more buses and building the stations to serve the passengers.
For his part, HE Ambassador Hakki Akil highly rated the relations between the Republic of Turkey and the UAE, which has been translated in the exchange of visits between officials of the two countries, and the high volume of bilateral trade, increased investments and the increasing number of tourists. He also praised the Dubai Metro project, which will be a mobility quantum leap in the region that will definitely add an aesthetic dimension to the distinctive projects in the Emirate of Dubai. This project will also contribute to the movement of people and will ease the traffic congestion.
He said that there is a great potential in the participation of Turkish companies in the projects implemented by RTA, particularly in the area of roads construction, and the implementation and operation of mass transit systems, confirming that the Turkish transportation systems industry has made a considerable progress, and has long experiences in many European and Asian countries. This industry is harnessing modern technologies.
At the conclusion of the meeting, HE Matar Al Tayer extended a memorial gift to the Turkish Ambassador.
