Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday received a letter from Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.
In the letter, Modi thanked Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE government for the attention and follow-up given by the competent health authorities in the country to the Covid-19 “and its efforts to protect society and limit the spread of this epidemic and apply the necessary measures that contribute to limiting the spread of disease”.
He also thanked the UAE Rulers for their generosity extended to the Indian community in the country as well as all the communities residing on the land of the state, which helped significantly in reducing the injuries among the Indian community and the rest of the community.
The letter was presented to Sheikh Mohammed by India’s foreign minister, Dr. Subramaniam Jaishankar, who is currently visiting the country. Sheikh Mohammed and the minister exchanged views on ways to restore and advance the economies of the UAE and India and revive movement and trade exchange between the two countries.
Sheikh Mohammed confirmed during the meeting that the UAE is keen to combat the pandemic and limit its negative effects on most sectors, especially tourism, trade, economic, health and others, and to gradually return to a normal life.
In addition, Jaishankar praised all the measures taken in the country to confront the coronavirus, which made the UAE at the forefront of countries that were able to harness all its material, human and medical capabilities in order to help many countries that need assistance to help prevent the pandemic.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality.
It was also attended by Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador India to the UAE, and Aman Puri, Indian Consul General in Dubai.
Community meeting, Expo visit
Diplomatic sources Gulf News that the minister, who had wrapped up a two-day official visit to the UAE on Thursday, made a stopover in Dubai again on Sunday during his way back from Seychelles to India.
Apart from meeting with Sheikh Mohammed, the minister interacted virtually with the Indian community leaders in Dubai and Northern Emirates. In his address to the community, the minister expressed his appreciation for their support to fellow Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Consulate in Dubai said in a tweet.
The minister also visited the India pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 site. He was briefed by the Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor and Consul General of India in Dubai Dr Aman Puri.
“The minister reviewed the progress of the India pavilion which promises to showcase our strength in innovation and technology in addition to arts and culture,” the consulate said in another Tweet.