MANILA, November 27 ------ The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) committed to deepening bilateral relations, especially in the economy and trade.
In his one-day working visit to the Gulf State, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. met with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed the Philippine government’s openness to strengthening economic ties with the UAE. President Al Nahyan, in a social media post, said he discussed with Marcos opportunities to further deepen cooperation between the UAE and the Philippines.
The two countries are currently negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). During their meeting in Abu Dhabi, Marcos also expressed his gratitude to President Al Nahyan for UAE’s assistance in several matters, including the arrest and turnover of a sex trafficker to the Philippine authorities and the training and support for the Philippine National Police (PNP). The President also thanked the UAE for pardoning 143 Filipinos during this year’s Eid al-Adha and for its humanitarian aid to victims of recent flooding in the Philippines.
Around one million Filipinos are in the UAE, making it the second-largest employer of Filipino expats after Saudi Arabia. The Philippines and the UAE are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations since establishing diplomatic ties on August 19, 1974.
Source: pna.gov.ph
Comments