48th National Day of the United Arab Emirates ‘We commend the government and people of the UAE for leading the way’ – VP Meriton |04 December 2019
Vice-President Vincent Meriton has commended the government and people of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) “for leading the way and for being on the cutting edge of development in a number of fields”.
Vice-President Meriton, who also hold the portfolio responsibility for foreign affairs, was speaking at a reception on Monday at the Savoy Resort to commemorate the 48th National Day of the UAE.
The event, which was graced by the presence of President Danny Faure among other guests, marked the unification of the seven Emirates in 1971.
The Seychelles-UAE relations date for quite a while and Seychelles as a country has beneffited a lot from this in terms of aid and technical assistance.
“As we celebrate this milestone event with you, we are afforded the opportunity to reflect on the years of friendship and collaboration between the UAE and Seychelles. You have shown not only us but the world that the impossible can be made possible; that stubborn deserts can be transformed into flourishing oasis of prosperity and success; that people coming from different ethnic, religious and social backgrounds can not only coexist but thrive together. Spurred by innovation, your determination and commitment to success is also reflected in your bilateral, regional and global engagements. We commend the government and people of the UAE for leading the way and for being on the cutting edge of development in a number of fields,” Vice-President Meriton said while addressing the guests.
The VP also talked about the participation of Seychelles in the upcoming Expo 2020 and the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
“Our milestone accomplishments as partners also serve as a reminder to the international community of the remarkable benefits that one can derive when working together for the well-being of our peoples,” he said.
He noted that the UAE has been and will remain an invaluable partner who continues to support our country in achieving our national development goals be it in areas of social infrastructure, modern health care and advancement in the blue economy, renewable energy, aviation and maritime sectors.
Adressing the guests, the chargé d'affaires at the UAE embassy in Seychelles, Ahmed Saeed Alneyadi, noted that “on this auspicious and historic occasion, I would like to hail the bilateral relations between our two friendly countries. These relations found their roots in the principles of cooperation and mutual respect, and evolved into a strategic partnership between the two countries and peoples over recent years. The two countries share an ever-growing volume of commercial, economic and cultural exchanges bear witness to the strong bilateral ties our countries share in various fields”.
Mr Alneyadi further talked about how under its wise leadership, UAE continues this journey with energy and determination and looks to its children to continue the achievements of the nation and its citizens.
“The progress, development and prosperity that we enjoy nowadays in the UAE goes hand in hand with a balanced foreign policy based on moderation, tolerance, humanitarian assistance and political openness that allows our country to gain greater respect in its diplomatic presence and further boost its friendly relations around the world. Our leadership declared 2019 as the Year of Tolerance, to reinforce the fact that we are a country where more than 200 different nationalites live in an atmosphere of openness, mutual respect and coexistence based on the principle of tolerance.”
He also talked about how the founding father of UAE, Sheikh Zayed, believed that a successful, tolerant and progressive society can only be achieved by empowering women and ensuring their full participation in the construction of the country.
“A third of the UAE’s cabinet are women; women represent a majority of the workforce of our civil service and our university graduates; and the representation of women in the Federal National Council is now at 50 percent,” added Mr Alneyadi.
He concluded his remarks by saying that UAE is gearing up to host Expo 2020 Dubai where more than 200 countries will be participating.
“This global event confirms our nation’s ability to connect and inspire millions of people around the world to celebrate human progress, solve global challenges, and create a better future.”
Sharing his views with our newspaper, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Wavel Ramkalawan, noted that “the relationship between Seychelles and the UAE is a good one and we have received lots of support from them. But there were also some issues that came along such as the water contamination at La Misère where we are still finding solutions. But we stand for development which falls under the legal framework. I feel that there has been lots of changes and improvement in our relationship and if the help is not one-sided, like other countries, we are in agreement with it”.
Other guests present at the ceremony included the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Francis MacGregor, Speaker of the National Assembly Nicholas Prea, leader of government business in the National Assembly Charles de Commarmond, ministers and members of the diplomatic corps.
Vidya Gappy
