Washington, The United Arab Emirates and the United States signed a cooperation agreement in customs matters, on the sidelines of the official visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi to the US. The agreement aims to enhance economic, trade, and customs cooperation, as well as the exchange of customs expertise and information between the two countries, WAM reported. the agreement will strengthen the economic partnership between the two nations, increase trade exchange, reduce customs violations and illicit trade, and expand technical customs cooperation through the exchange of information and expertise. It will also raise the level of national competencies through training and exposure to best practices in the customs field. The importance of the cooperation and mutual assistance agreement in customs matters stems from the UAE's role as a regional hub for global trade, and the strategic importance of the United States, the w orld's largest economy, as a long-standing and key economic partner for the UAE. Source: Bahrain News Agency