Bolstering our global position: Mohammed

Concluding a tour of Latin America whilst heading a high-profile delegation, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral relations with new strategic partners in order to boost national economy and sustain UAE’s balanced foreign policy approach.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed also highlighted the numerous opportunities such visits bring forth in allowing the exploration of mutual economic benefits and facilitating cooperation across many sectors such as natural resources.

“Every country offers different opportunities, and cooperation benefits all sides. We need to work hard to attain a strong global economic status,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

Describing the tour in four Latin America countries as successful, Sheikh Mohammed noted that the signing of numerous cooperation agreements in the fields of investment, defence and culture would usher in further comprehensive collaboration and pave the way to building long-lasting and sustainable strategic partnerships.

His Highness said, “We look forward to welcoming leaders and delegations from these countries soon and build on the successful relations we have forged with them.

“The UAE welcomes economic delegations to explore the vast investment opportunities we have to offer.”
“Latin America is blessed with huge mineral and agricultural resources backed by an impressive industrial growth.

“The UAE can serve as Latin America’s gate to central and Eastern part of the globe,” said Sheikh Mohammed. “There are scores of opportunities we can build on with our partners in Latin America,” he concluded.

Sheikh Mohammed praised the active role of UAE’s diplomatic missions operating in countries of Latin America and their Latin counterparts operating in the UAE in building strong and multi-faceted bridges of communication and interaction in the fields of culture, heritage, trade, tourism among others.

On his tour, Sheikh Mohammed visited Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile with which the UAE maintains strong bilateral ties in addition to billions of dollars’ worth of annual trade.

The agreements signed during this visit will further enhance investments especially in trade, tourism and defence.

Talks with President of Chile

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, held talks with Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile.

Sheikh Mohammed arrived in Chile early Friday on his tour that takes him to a number of Latin America countries.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, also attended the meeting. The leaders discussed a number of international and bilateral issues of mutual interest, as well as ways to expand cooperation and friendship, especially in the fields of economic, cultural and air transport.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed his optimism over the results of his visit to Chile, particularly in the cultural and tourist exchange fields and building of diversified investment partnership between the two parties.

He also underscored the important role of the private sector and provision of facilitations to the government and private companies of the two countries, as well as competent authorities in order to achieve joint objectives between the two friendly peoples in all sectors, especially in the cultural and tourist fields.

Meanwhile, Bachelet described Sheikh Mohammed’s visit as "historic". This visit would help open up more doors for officials, businesspeople and companies in both countries as well as set up joint investments, achieve economic and cultural benefits for the two parties, apart from enhancing trade and investment relations.

Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed,  who is leading a high-profile delegation, arrived at the Presidential Palace, la Moneda, where they were received by the President of the Republic of Chile and a number of officials.

Sheikh Mohammed was accorded an official reception at the yard of the Palace. Chile is the last leg of Sheikh Mohammed’s Latin America tour.

Sheikh Mohammed and the Chilean President attended the signing ceremony of bilateral agreement on the avoidance of double taxation regarding taxation on income and capital of international air carriers and freight companies.

Both sides inked a Memorandum of Understanding, on the cultural relations and bolstering of cultural exchange between the two governments with an emphasis on developing dialogue among various international cultures to contribute to building cultural communication among peoples to achieve peace, coexistence and stability.

The agreement and MoU were signed by Sheikh Abdullah and Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heraldo Munoz.

Among those who attended the signing ceremony were Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group; Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State; Mohammad Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of the Office of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai; Lieutenant General Misbah bin Rashid AI Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice-President; Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai; Saeed Rashid Obaid Al Za'abi, UAE Ambassador to Chile; Abdullah Mohammed Al Mu'ina, a number of ministers and Chilean senior officials.

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