Ministers, officials and experts address ambassadors and heads of UAE missions on day 2 of Ambassadors Forum

The 15th Forum of UAE Ambassadors and Representatives of Diplomatic Missions abroad, in its fifteenth session, continued its work and sessions on its second day, today, Monday, March 29, 2021.

The guest of honor, His Excellency Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany inaugurated the forum on its second day in a remote speech. He addressed the ambassadors and heads of the representative missions of the state abroad, praising the UAE’s approach, which instead of relying on the great achievements of the past fifty years past, decided to look towards the future.

His Excellency said: “Over the past fifty years you have transformed your country into one of the most cutting-edge places of our planet. Your vision commands deep respect. The Arab world’s first mission to mars led by women and aptly named hope is an expression of that ambition but also of far-sighted leadership and effective governance. It reflects the will of the Emirati people to embrace tradition while opening up to new worlds”. 

“I also see a future in which the United Arab Emirates can rely on cooperation. We share your view that cooperation is the bedrock of international peace and cooperation […].

Joining forces is the only way to overcome the challenges of the future, whether it is digitalization, globalization, migration or climate change. The current range of cooperation between our two countries is already impressive: human development, climate change, environmental protection, food security, humanitarian aid, healthcare, trade, technology, the fight against extremism and the promotion of religious tolerance. The list goes on. But I see even more potential on the horizon”. 

The second day of the forum featured a session with His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al-Sayegh, Minister of State, on the latest developments of the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism and the pivotal role the UAE plays to contribute to maintaining security in the region. It was followed by a session with His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, Minister of Economy, on "Economy in the United Arab Emirates after (Covid-19)" and a session with His Excellency Humaid Al Shemmari, Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Chief Human Resources Officer for Mubadala Investment Group, in a talk "The United Arab Emirates as a Global Business Center".

The forum, held annually in Abu Dhabi as part of the Ministry’s keenness to encourage interaction between ministers, officials, UAE ambassadors and representatives abroad, aims to promote the exchange of views on regional and international developments while improving the effectiveness of the UAE’s foreign policy.

This year's forum comes in exceptional circumstances resulting from the global Covid-19 pandemic, which imposed a new hybrid framework using state-of-the-art visual communication technologies.