President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, have renewed commitment to bolster the Philippines-UAE bilateral relations.
In a phone conversation on February 8, Duterte congratulated the UAE on its 50th Founding Anniversary and expressed appreciation for the care and concern for the Filipinos residing in the UAE.
Duterte also conveyed his regards to President His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
He likewise took the opportunity to thank the UAE leadership for its enormous aid during the height of the global pandemic. Among these were the seven metric tons of medical supplies, personal protective equipment, and 100,000 doses of Hayat Vax vaccines. The donated vaccines have boosted the national vaccination campaign in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We look forward to further working closely with the UAE as we continue addressing the challenges of the pandemic,” the President told Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Congratulating the Crown Prince for the resounding success of the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai, he said: “Your successful hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, where the Philippines is an active participant, is proof that COVID-19 can be overcome. The UAE is showing the world how it should be done.”
Meanwhile, Duterte conveyed that he won’t be able to proceed with his planned visit to the UAE as his administration continues to monitor the latest developments on COVID-19, in particular, the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. He added he would gladly visit the Gulf nation when circumstances allow.
For his part, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed the growth of the UAE-Philippines “bilateral relations to a level both sides can be proud of.”
The Crown Prince assured President Duterte that the UAE Government will continue to take care of Filipino nationals residing in the country in the best way it can.
The two leaders expressed solidarity in the face of continuing threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism.
The President underscored the Philippines’ commitment to “international cooperation in combatting terrorism by all means in accordance with international law.”
