The Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , received today at Zabeel Palace, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubaim, attended the reception.

Sheikh Mohammed and Gentiloni reviewed bilateral relations between the UAE and Italy and ways to enhance them in joint fields between the two countries.

The UAE Vice President welcomed Gentiloni’s visit to the UAE, stressing UAE's keenness on developing ties with Italy. He also wished that relations would witness more development and progress in various domains.

Gentiloni praised the commercial exchange between the two countries which exceeded AED8 billion in addition to the flights that connect between UAE and Italy which exceed 77 flights per week. This translates the high level of cooperation between the two countries, Gentiloni said, expressing hope that the trade between the two countries will double in the future.

Present at the meeting were H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, Obaid bin Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, Mohammed Al Shaibani, the Director General of HH The Ruler's Court, Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director- General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai, and Saqr Nasser Al Raisi, the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Italy, along with a number of Italian senior officials