President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) renewed commitment to further strengthen the Philippines-United Arab Emirates bilateral relations in a telephone conversation held on 08 February 2022.
President Duterte congratulated the UAE on its 50th Founding Anniversary and expressed appreciation for the care and concern for the almost 600,000 Filipinos residing in the UAE.
The President thanked the Crown Prince for the UAE’s COVID-19 assistance of seven metric tons of medical supplies, personal protective equipment and 100,000 doses of Hayat Vax vaccines that boosted vaccination 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 stressed.
President Duterte likewise congratulated the Crown Prince for his country’s ongoing successful hosting of the World Expo 2020 Dubai.
“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,” President Duterte said.
The President conveyed sincere regrets for being unable to proceed with the planned visit to the UAE to personally ensure that domestic measures to address COVID-19 remain robust in the face of emerging variants.
The President reiterated his wish to undertake the visit to “a great country under a ruler known for his equanimity” when circumstances allow.
The President also conveyed his regards to His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
For his part, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said he is honored to speak with the President and happy to note 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 UAE benefits from the skills of Filipino workers and is happy to have them, the Crown Prince added.
Both the President and Crown Prince 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.”
The Crown Prince looked forward to a visit by President Duterte at the most opportune time even in his personal capacity.
