UAE keen to build bridges of friendship with other countries

The UAE is keen on extending bridges of friendship, cooperation and tolerance among nations, forging balanced relations and in furthering economic, cultural and tourist exchange with brotherly and friendly countries, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed on Monday. The President highlighted the vital role the UAE diplomatic missions play in assisting UAE citizens abroad and taking care of their affairs. “’The UAE places its citizens at the top of its priorities and puts all its potential at the disposal of serving the nation and its citizens,’’ Sheikh Khalifa said on Monday when the new UAE ambassadors to Canada and Netherlands took the oath of office before him at Al Dhiafa Palace in Mushrif. Sheikh Khalifa also received credentials of 12 new ambassadors of sisterly and friendly countries in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region. The President instructed the two envoys to make every effort to promote the UAE's standing in the international community. ‘’We see you are trustworthy of this mission and we hope you would dedicate yourself to the service of the homeland and its citizens,’’ Sheikh Khalifa said while addressing the new diplomats: Mohammed Saif Al Shehi, UAE Ambassador to Canada and Abdullah Hamdan Al Naqbi, UAE Ambassador to Netherlands. He also wished them success in their new role in a way that bolsters and furthers mutual interests. The two new ambassadors pledged before the President to work diligently and faithfully for energising bonds of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and different countries of the world, reflecting the UAE’s prominent status and its wise policy under the stewardship of President Khalifa. They also thanked the President for the valuable confidence he vested in them. Later, the President accepted letters of credence of five ambassadors of Maldives, Indonesia, Guinea, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Federal Republic of Somalia and seven non-resident ambassadors of Namibia, Ghana, Estonia, Nicaragua, Malawi, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire. Sheikh Khalifa welcomed the new ambassadors, wishing them success in their assignment of taking their countries’ relations with the UAE to new heights. The President also pledged the State would provide all assistance and help in the UAE - your second home - to facilitate your job and elevate relations of cooperation between your countries and the UAE to better levels. Sheikh Khalifa asked the ambassadors to pass his best wishes to their respective heads of state for good health and happiness and more progress to their friendly countries and peoples. In a seperate development, the Deputy Speaker of the Yemeni Parliament Hamid Bin Abdullah Al Ahmer has lauded the Dhs500 million donation from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Yemeni people. He told WAM in a statement that the donation reflects the keenness of the UAE leadership, government and people in helping their brothers in Yemen to ease suffering that had resulted from the current crisis. “The directives of the UAE President to buy food from the local markets will activate the economy, which has been facing difficulties because of the current standoff.” Al-Ahmer said the initiative evokes the support of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to Yemen. For his part, Ahmed Mohammed Al Kahlani, Head of the Executive Unit of the camps of the displaced, has also lauded the directives of the UAE President. “This is not the first time Sheikh Khalifa has offered support to the Yemeni people in regard to humanitarianism, citing the initiative of the UAE President to set up a camp for people displaced by war in the Saada Province three years ago.”