His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.
During their meeting in Abu Dhabi, His Highness expressed his appreciation for the visit and discussed avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation between the UAE and the European Union, along with its member states, focusing on mutual interests.
He praised the growing and evolving relationship between the UAE and the EU, particularly in light of the recent announcement regarding the commencement of comprehensive economic partnership negotiations, reflecting a shared commitment to establishing thriving Emirati-European cooperation across various sectors.
His Highness highlighted the strong ties between the Federal National Council and the European Parliament, especially as the UAE hosted a significant parliamentary event featuring a special Emirati-European session led by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Federal National Council, and attended by President Metsola.
He and President Metsola also discussed the serious developments in the Middle East and their implications for regional peace and security. His Highness emphasized the critical role of parliaments in supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at establishing peace and stability in the region and maintaining regional and international security.
The meeting was attended by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Federal National Council, Her Excellency Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, and His Excellency Mohammed Ismail Al Sahlawi, Ambassador of the UAE to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU.
Additionally, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a delegation of chairmen from the councils of shura, representatives, and national assemblies from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, led by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash and attended by His Excellency Jassem Mohamed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC.
The delegation included Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh, Chairman of the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal bin Nasser Al Maʻawali, Chairman of the Shura Council of Oman, Mr. Ahmed bin Salman bin Jabr Al-Musallam, Chairman of the House of Representatives and Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Group from Bahrain, and Yusuf bin Ali Al Khater, Chairman of the Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Shura Council of Qatar.
His Highness welcomed the delegation and during the meeting, which took place in Abu Dhabi, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation among GCC countries across various fields.
They also addressed several issues of mutual concern related to the progress of joint Gulf cooperation.
His Highness reviewed with the delegation the critical developments in the Middle East and their consequences for regional peace and security.