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Reaffirming excellent bilateral relations and strategic partnership
Pictured above to below: visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, meets with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis; with his Greek counterpart, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. The two delegations in conference.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion in Athens on April 3rd, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias in attendance.
The UAE top diplomat conveyed the greetings of the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his wishes for progress and prosperity to the Hellenic Republic and its people, highlighting the depth of UAE-Greek ties.
On his part, Prime Minister Mitsotakis welcomed H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and his accompanying delegation and conveyed his greetings to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his wishes of further progress and prosperity to the UAE, reaffirming the distinguished relations between their two countries.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the outcome of the official visit paid by the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to the Hellenic Republic last August, praising its role in advancing the level of partnership between the two countries and creating promising opportunities for the development of joint cooperation in several vital fields.
The discussions also touched on the importance of enhancing cooperation on the economic level, given the total trade exchange between the two countries reached some US$561 million in 2021, a growth rate of about 68% compared to 2020. They also reviewed frameworks for joint cooperation in the aviation sector and the importance of continuous work to increase direct flights between the two countries.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Prime Minister Mitsotakis also discussed several issues of mutual interest related to the strategic partnership between the two countries and the scope of work within the framework of international organisations. They also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of common concern.
Sheikh Abdullah stressed that the UAE-Greece cooperation has been steadily developing in various fields, highlighting the two countries’ keenness to invest all available opportunities to expand and develop their partnership in a way that achieves the mutual interests of their peoples and contributes to strengthening security and stability in the region.
He also praised the prominent role of the Hellenic Republic in contributing to strengthening relations between the UAE and the European Union.
The meeting was attended by Omar Saif Ghobash, Assistant Minister for Culture and Public Diplomacy; Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs; and Sulaiman Hamed Salem Al Mazroui, UAE Ambassador to Greece.
Afterwards, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates and his Greek counterpart, discussed their countries’ bilateral relations and strategic partnership at the Foreign Ministry.
The meeting included a review of various aspects of bilateral cooperation and discussions on ways to strengthen it in several domains, such as economics, trade, investment, development, energy, food security and climate change mitigation.
Discussions also focused on international and regional developments of mutual interest, including developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya and the Middle East, as well as European Union-UAE relations and regional cooperation schemes.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias highlighted the strong and enduring relationship between the UAE and Greece, which began in 1975 and has steadily progressed over the years, culminating in the declaration of their strategic partnership in 2022.
It is noted that Minister Dendias made bilateral visits to the UAE in December 2022, June 2022 and June 2021.
During their meeting, the two heads of diplomacy discussed various issues of mutual interest, including global efforts to combat climate change, within the context of the UAE’s preparations to host the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Additionally, they exchanged views on regional and global developments.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan commended the progress and advancements that the UAE and Greece have achieved in different fields, thanks to their solid strategic partnership.
Minister Dendias welcomed Sheikh Abdullah and his delegation, emphasising the significance of the visit as a driving force to enhance the cooperation and partnership between the two countries in various fields.
Upon arrival to the Hellenic Republic, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was greeted with an official reception ceremony at the airport.
Minister Dendias welcomed Sheikh Abdullah emphasising the significance of the visit as a driving force to enhance the cooperation and partnership in various fields.
