President Tinubu Meets UAE Envoy Ahead of COP28

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday held closed-door talks with the Minister of State for International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, Reem Alhashimy, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting comes barely a week to the commencement of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, holding in Dubai.

Alhashimy, who addressed journalists after the meeting expressed optimism about enhancing the relations between Nigeria and the UAE to foster greater prosperity.

Alhashimy also emphasized the abundant resources in both countries, highlighting the United Arab Emirates effort at building on the existing foundation of human resources between Nigeria and the UAE.

Alhashimy expressed the Emirate’s eagerness to maintain Nigeria as a strategic partner.

She said, “We are as you also are aware, expecting to receive the whole world at COP 28 in the UAE in about a week’s time, and are very committed to ensuring that Nigeria continues to be a strategic partner for the UAE and we continue to work on important issues for the Nigerian people.

“We’re very keen on looking at how we can strengthen our ties more than they already are. And we’ve come with a really positive letter to this new Nigerian government.”

Reflecting on the meeting between both leaders last September, Alhashimy noted that “the president of Nigeria and the President of the United Arab Emirates, met for the first time in September, and we are optimistic about all of the great projects we’re going to be working with you on.

“We’ve come with a really positive letter to this new Nigerian government,” she mentioned.

During the meeting with President Tinubu, Alhashimy presented a plan for bilateral cooperation, crafted under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the President of the UAE.

She said “We’re here to deliver a very promising positive and futuristic plan for cooperation partnership between our two countries.”

The envoy also expressed plans to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Nigeria, highlighting the rich human resources both nations possess saying “we’ve tried to build on what we already have between our two nations,” adding that the Emirate stands hopeful for the prosperity and strengthened relations that the future holds for both states.