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Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed and Mahamadou Issoufou during a reception at the Presidential Palace. Image Credit: WAM

Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Monday held official talks with President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, who is currently visiting the country.

Shaikh Mohammad and President Issoufou discussed friendship and cooperation relations and ways to boost them in various vital fields including development, economy and investment, as well as a number of issues of common concerns.

They also discussed the latest regional and international development and exchanged views over a number of issues that concern both countries.

Shaikh Mohammad stressed the UAE’s keenness under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to expand its outstanding relations with all friendly countries based on mutual respect, trust and joint cooperation.

Shaikh Mohammad said that the UAE-Niger relations are witnessing significant development in many areas, hoping a better level of cooperation would be achieved, to serve the interests of both people and countries.

For his part, President Mahamadou expressed his delight at visiting the UAE, stressing his county’s keenness to boost its cooperation with the UAE in the development and economic fields.

Both leaders stressed their keenness to develop and push forward the cooperation relations to a wider and broader horizons in light of the joint desire of the two leaderships to strengthen these relations.

They also stressed the importance of concerted international efforts to confront the scourges of extremism and terrorism in all its forms, stressing the need to achieve development and prosperity and consolidate the values of tolerance, dialogue and peace among the peoples of the world.

Later on, Shaikh Mohammad and Niger President witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between both countries, aiming to underpin mutual partnerships and cooperation and open new scopes of joint work across many fields.

The agreements include the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) on Income and the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment signed by Ahmad Bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State of UAE and Kalla Ankourao, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration of Niger.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the UAE and Niger Chambers of Commerce and Industry by Hameed Mohammad Bin Salem, Secretary-General of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Abdoulaye Jada, Dpeuty Chairman of Niger Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The meeting was attended by Dr Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs; Suhail Bin Mohammad Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry; Dr Thani Bin Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Dr Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, EAA; Ali Saeed Matar Al Neyadi, Chairman of the Federal Customs Authority; Mohammad Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Under-secretary of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court.

Among the Niger delegation members attending the meeting were Kalla Ankourao, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration; Aboubacar Ibrahim Abani, Special Advisor; Amadou Sonrhai, Ambassador of Niger to the UAE.