Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday received Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, and his accompanying delegation at Zabeel Palace.
Shaikh Mohammad welcomed President Poroshenko to the UAE and discussed with him a number of political and economic issues of common interest in the presence of Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Both sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost them, especially in economic, cultural and investment fields to establish strong partnership based on mutual respect and the realisation of both countries’ higher national interests.
Shaikh Mohammad stressed the importance of bringing the two peoples closer together and providing mutual facilities for private companies and businessmen in both countries in order to create joint investment opportunities especially in science, knowledge, tourism among others.
President Poroshenko praised the UAE’s advanced progress and civilised development witnessed at various levels, hoping that his visit to the UAE will yield good results for both peoples and countries.
Shaikh Mohammad and the Ukrainian president witnessed the signing ceremony of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and an agreement as a first step towards expanding the scope of their bilateral cooperation.
The first MoU, signed by Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Pavlo Klimkin, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, exempts citizens of both countries holding all types of passports from entry visas in either country.
Dr Ahmad Abdullah Humaid Bel Houl Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills, and Klimkin signed the second MoU, which covered space industry, while Noora Mohammad Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and Klimkin signed an agreement on cultural exchange.
Shaikh Mohammad and Poroshenko approved the agreement and wished that the step would begin a new era of constructive cooperation between the two sides in the best interests of the two countries.
The meeting was attended by Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation; Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future; Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and Head of the Honorary Mission accompanying the guest; Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, director-general of Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department, as well as other shaikhs and senior officials.
