The UAE is to establish a joint defence partnership with the UK, following the British Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to the country.

Cameron visited the UAE to promote trade between the two countries, specifically in the area of defence and security where he hoped to encourage the UAE to buy Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in a deal worth billions of dollars.

As yet no agreement has been made to purchase the fighter jets, but according to a joint UAE-UK communique revealed that the two countries will establish a “defence industrial partnership” that will involve “close collaboration” around the Typhoon jets.

According to the British government, the proposed partnership could provide a significant boost to the country’s defence industry, supporting £5.4bn ($8.6bn) in exports and 54,000 jobs in the UK.

The UAE and UK will also be looking to increase trade and investment flows in sectors such as infrastructure, information and communication technologies.

UK Trade & Investment, a government-backed body tasked with the promotion of UK exports, also took a delegation out to the UAE to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries.

According to trade ministers in both countries, plans to increase trade between the UK and the UAE to £12bn by 2015 are on track.

UK minister of state for trade and investment Lord Stephen Green said in an official statement that both the UAE and the UK are targeting a 60 per cent increase in trade from 2009 levels.

The prime minister also visited Saudi Arabia in an effort to mend relationships, following anger among government officials over a possible UK parliamentary enquiry into UK-Saudi relations. Cameron will also be promoting the sale of typhoon jets during his meetings in Saudi Arabia.