The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Finland have agreed to strengthen cooperation in scientific research and innovation.

UAE Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Sultan Al-Mansouri and his Finnish counterpart, Jan Vapaavuori, held talks in Dubai on Saturday, state news agency WAM reported.

Al-Mansouri said Finland has "an outstanding track record" at the international level in the fields of advanced technology, innovation, research and development.

The capacities made the northern European country an important partner for the UAE in its quest to sustainable development, said the UAE minister.

The Finnish minister, for his part, highlighted the Schengen visa waiver for UAE citizens, saying this would have a far-reaching economic impact on the Euro zone and on the UAE, in relation to tourism and investment.

Earlier in the week, the UAE and the European Union signed a reciprocal bilateral short-stay visa waiver agreement exempting UAE citizens from obtaining an entry travel visa to 34 Schengen states. The UAE is the first Arab state to have such an advantage.