President Rodrigo Duterte and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) renewed commitments to further strengthen the Philippines-United Arab Emirates bilateral relations, Malacanang said.
In a statement, Malacanang said the President also thanked the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for his country’s assistance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines, specifically in the Bangsamoro.
“The President thanked the Crown Prince for the UAE’s COVID-19 assistance of seven metric tons of medical supplies, personal protective equipment, and 100,000 doses of Hayat Vax vaccines that boosted vaccination in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),” the statement read.
“We look forward to further working closely with the UAE as we continue addressing the challenges of the pandemic,” Duterte said.
The President also congratulated the UAE on its 50th Founding Anniversary and expressed appreciation for the care and concern for the almost 600,000 Filipinos residing in the UAE.
Duterte likewise congratulated the Crown Prince for his country’s ongoing successful hosting of the World Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Your successful hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, where the Philippines is an active participant, is proof that COVID-19 can be overcome. The UAE is showing the world how it should be done,” Duterte said.
Duterte also expressed regret that the COVID-19 situation in the country made it impossible for him to proceed with a planned visit to UAE.