H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed attends MoFAIC's 49th National Day celebration

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, attended a soiree organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, in observance of the 49th UAE National Day.

The function, which was held in accordance with the precautionary and preventive measures taken to contain the OVID-19 pandemic, was attended by Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, along with other ministerial assistants, Assistants Undersectaries, and a number of ambassadors and heads of foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the UAE.

The event commenced with the rendition of the UAE national anthem followed by a welcome speech by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

"I would like to thank everyone here present with us and celebrating our 49th anniversary. Today, we celebrate, as brothers and sisters in humanity, our joint action to solve problems and look toward the future," Sheikh Abdullah said.

"Your presence with us today is not only to celebrate our National Day, but also to celebrate the presence of your nations throughout the journey of the United Arab Emirates; it's this presence which made this voyage much more interesting and successful and we hope that it will be fruitful for many years, decades and centuries for all of us."

He added, "We are proud of the status of the relations the UAE has been developing with the rest of the world; however the Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us that this is never enough, and that we have to do more; we have to look to each other as brothers and sisters in humanity and address these challenges as one family while searching for hope.

"When we decided in the United Arab Emirates to launch a mission to explore Mars, we decided to call it "Hope Probe". This is what we are longing for in the region; and with your participation, efforts and dedication to this relationship, I hope to see more hope. Thank you!"

Reviewing the achievements of the UAE in 2020, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar underlined the importance of the UAE National Day for everyone living in the Emirates.

He extended his congratulations to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, along with Their Highnesses Members of the Supreme Council, Rulers of the Emirates and to the government and people of the UAE on the occasion of the 49th National Day.

Al Marar added: "Today we celebrate an anniversary which is so dear to our hearts. The year 2020 witnessed a myriad of achievements in several fields at the national, regional and international levels. In this year, the UAE officially entered the global race to explore the outer space, by launching the first Arab and Islamic probe to Mars, which we called "Hope Probe". This achievement made the UAE one of only nine countries across the world aspiring to explore the Red Planet. The probe started its mission on July 20, 2020, and is planned to reach Mars by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Arab Emirates."

On the political and diplomatic developments, Al Marar said, "The UAE has made a historic diplomatic breakthrough with the State of Israel, which opens the way for great feats in the diplomatic, scientific, cultural and economic fields. H.H Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, signed the Abraham Accords between the UAE and the State of Israel on September 15, 2020, which open a new chapter in relations between the two states, and stimulate concerted efforts to enhance stability and security in our region.

"In this year, which is witnessing the biggest crisis facing humanity in decades due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE has been able to consolidate its humanitarian approach, which is a fundamental pillar of its foreign policy, particularly in terms of international cooperation and solidarity with global societies in need. Since the onset of the pandemic, the UAE has been extending channels of cooperation with all countries in need of assistance and support as part of its efforts to strengthen multilateral cooperation under the exceptional circumstances the world is going through."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has been playing a fundamental role in coordinating with international organisations across various countries to secure vital assistance to confront the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak, in accordance with the approach the UAE has always been following in strengthening cooperation between various parties to overcome existing challenges.

The celebration included two videos on the establishment of the UAE and the achievements made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.