Gobran Mohammed

CAIRO: More than 1,800 figures, including senior officials, businessmen, investors, intellectuals, innovators and media professionals are attending the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Egypt-UAE relations being held in Cairo from Oct. 26-28.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al-Gergawi attended the celebrations held under the slogan “Egypt and the UAE are one heart.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said: “These relations set a perfect example of the strong ties that bind the two countries and peoples.”

In his speech at the celebrations, El-Sisi added: “The Egyptian and Emirati peoples will always remain united. Over the decades, the strength of Egyptian-Emirati relations has not changed; in fact, it has grown sturdier. Mutual understanding, fraternity and consensus characterized the relations between them.

“Egypt prides itself in sharing understanding and views with the leaderships of the UAE since the days of (its) great founder … late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who is celebrated for his historic pronouncement ‘Arab oil is not dearer than Arab blood.’”

El-Sisi praised the supportive position of the UAE during the difficult period that Egypt went through about 10 years ago.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan tweeted: “We are very proud to celebrate 50 years of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and Egypt.

“Together with my brother, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, we continue to strengthen and build upon these longstanding ties for the long-term benefit of our people and the region.”

Dubai ruler and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum tweeted: “The UAE is celebrating 50 years of fraternal, stable, and advanced relations with Egypt today.

“We also celebrate the beginning of 50 new years under the leadership of my brother, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and my brother Mohammed bin Zayed, the president of the state, may God protect him … Egypt and the UAE are one heart.”

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, said Egypt and the UAE have special and distinguished ties.

A documentary on Egyptian-Emirati relations entitled “Half a Century of Love” was shown on the occasion. It chronicled bilateral relations between the two countries at all levels — diplomatic, economic and political. 

Madbouly praised the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation behind the launch of the celebrations and said that Egypt has always been keen to contribute to the UAE through various efforts.

He also praised the commercial and industrial partnerships between the two countries, the increase of which in recent years has reflected positively on the volume of Emirati investments in Egypt and the number of Emirati companies operating in the Egyptian market.

Mariam Khalifa Al-Kaabi, UAE ambassador to Egypt, said the coming period will witness more cooperation between Egypt and the UAE in the field of environment and climate change, especially since the COP27 climate conference organized by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh is a few days away, while the UAE will organize the next COP28 climate conference.

She said the UAE is the largest investor in Egypt, and more than 1,250 Emirati companies operate in Egypt in all economic sectors.

She also noted that Emirati investments in Egypt are likely to increase due to the high return on investment, in addition to the successes achieved by the Egyptian economy despite the COVID-19 pandemic.