UAE President receives President Lula of Brazil at official reception ceremony

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, who is on an official visit to the UAE, accompanied by his wife the First Lady of Brazil Rosângela Lula da Silva.

The Brazilian President was welcomed by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. Upon arrival, President Lula’s convoy was accompanied by a guard of honour consisting of riders on horseback. The official reception ceremony included a performance of the national anthem of Brazil, a 21-gun artillery salute, and a flypast by the UAE Air Force aerobatics team “Al Fursan”, trailing smoke in the colours of the Brazilian flag.

President Lula’s visit – his first to an Arab country since beginning his third term in office – underscores the deep, longstanding ties between Brazil and the UAE.

The official reception ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region; Lieutenant General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Special Affairs Adviser at the Presidential Court; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for National Security; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohamed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Maryam bint Muhammad Al Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Sarah bint Youssef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology; Noura bint Mohamed Al Kaabi, Minister of State; Ahmed bin Ali Mohamed Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and Member of the Executive Council; Saleh Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil; Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the Emirates Space Agency; and a number of officials.

The Brazilian President is accompanied on his visit by a delegation that includes Rodrigo Pacheco, President of the Federal and National Senate; Carlos Favreau, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock; Agorónimo Rodrigues, Governor of the Bahia Region; Andre Correa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate, Environment and Energy Affairs; Carlos Duarte, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Africa and the Middle East; Eliana Zogheib, Brazilian Ambassador to the UAE; and a number of senior officials.

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