Dubai, Jul 1 (IANS): Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has inaugurated the country's first-ever Consulate General in Dubai during his ongoing trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is the first by a senior official of the Jewish state to the Gulf nation since the two sides normalised ties last year.

According to the UAE's official WAM news agency, the ianuguration on Wednesday also saw the participation of Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, reports Xinhua.

In his welcoming remarks, Al Olama said: "As we look to a comprehensive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which the UAE and Israel have faced as close partners in scientific and technological innovation, we expect bilateral exchange to rapidly expand.

"The Consulate General of Israel in Dubai will provide essential services to Israeli visitors to the UAE and those seeking to travel from the UAE to Israel.

"Ultimately, the warm ties between the UAE and Israel are slated to grow in many areas, and in the coming period, our two countries will usher in the next phase of bilateral cooperation."

Lapid also officially opened the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

UAE Minister of Culture and Youth Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi attended the ceremony.

The Ministers reiterated that "with the opening of the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi, we will further drive growth and widen channels of collaboration across all key sectors".

In turn, the friendship between the peoples will flourish," they added.

After signing the Abraham Accords in 2020, which formally established relations between the UAE and Israel, the two countries have engaged in high-level cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural fields, as well as diplomatic and consular coordination.