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Dubai / WAM
Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Thursday received Tajikistan President, Emomali Rahmon, at Zabeel Palace in Dubai.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and HH Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Sheikh Mohammed held expanded talks with Rahmon dealing with bilateral relations and important regional and international issues of mutual interest, especially regarding security, peace and fighting terrorism.
Sheikh Mohammed welcomed the visit of President of Tajikistan, as part of the keenness of the two countries’ leadership to enhance friendship, co-operation and co-ordination in various fields which reflect positively on the interests of the two friendly peoples.
He also expressed his confidence that the visit will support the existing friendship ties and provide further momentum to both sides to enhance them to higher levels of co-operation in all domains, especially in the economic, cultural, tourist, security and political fields.
Rahmon emphasised the strong friendship ties between his country and the UAE at the official and popular levels, expressing the keenness of the two leaders to boost them to broader horizons and enhance the economic, tourist, security, educational and other areas.
He also noted that there are 12 agreements signed between the two sides in addition to others that aimed at extending new bridges for rapprochement between the two friendly countries and peoples.
He also indicated that the two sides have potential to achieve the vision of the two leaders to enhance the ties between the two peoples and countries based on the principles of mutual respect, confidence and the highest national interests of either country.
Rahmon extended an invitation to Sheikh Mohammed to visit Dushanbe and Sheikh Mohammed accepted and appreciated it.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed and Rahmon attended the signing ceremony of a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), between the two countries.
Among those who attended the signing of agreements and MoUs were H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation; Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future; Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and head of the honorary mission; Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai; Tajik Ambassador to the UAE, Yusuf Bobokalonova, and members of the accompanying delegation of the President of Tajikistan.
H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Minister of Internal Affairs, and Tajik Public Prosecutor Rakhimzoda Ramazon Hamro signed a co-operation agreement in the security field and on fighting terrorism.
Also, Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi, Minister of Justice, and Rahmon Yusuf, Prosecutor-General, signed an agreement regarding the extradition of convictions. While Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Sirojiddin Aslov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, signed a MoU pertaining to political consultations between the two countries.
Dr. Ahmad bin Abdulla Humaid Belhoul AlFalasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan, Nuriddin Said signed a MoU on the higher education and scientific research.
In a related context, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and Abdullozoda Ahtam Rustam, Chairman of the Committee on Youth, Sports and Tourism, signed a MoU on bilateral relations in the tourism field.
Sheikh Mohammed and Rahmon welcomed the agreements, and hoped that they would be the beginning of new era in the friendly relations and constructive co-operation between the two sides to accomplish the desire and the aspirations of the two countries.
Sheikh Mohammed hosted a lunch banquet in honour of the Tajik President and his accompanying delegation. A number of Sheikhs, ministers and top officials attended the meeting.