Joining other heads of state in Abu Dhabi, the Philippine leader will witness important accords. At the invitation of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived late on Monday evening, January 12, for a one-day working visit. At 11:09 p.m. UAE time, the plane carrying President Marcos touched down at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Airport.
His Excellency Saeed Al Hajeri, the UAE Minister of State, welcomed him. Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma was also there to greet the President. According to the official RTVM, Alfonso Ver, the Philippine ambassador to the UAE, and Theresa Lazaro. President Marcos is expected to attend Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), an annual international conference that encourages international cooperation in solving current and future challenges requiring collective action, with other leaders of state and government during the visit.
President Marcos stressed that the Philippines is expected to actively participate in debates on intricate and interrelated global concerns, such as energy, water, finance, food security, and environmental protection, before departing Manila. He continued by saying that the meeting will provide the Philippines a chance to express its viewpoints while gaining insightful knowledge from other world leaders. The signing of two important bilateral agreements between the Philippines and the UAE—the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation—is a major aspect of the visit. It is expected that the CEPA, a free trade agreement between the two nations, will significantly increase Philippine market access in the Middle East, especially in the Gulf.
In the meantime, the MOU for defense cooperation seeks to provide a thorough framework for cooperation in cutting-edge defense technologies. The agreements and results of the visit are anticipated to benefit not only Filipinos in the Philippines but also the roughly 900,000 Filipinos who currently live in the United Arab Emirates, according to President Marcos. During his visit, President Marcos is expected to interact with Filipinos and undertake business meetings in addition to attending the international forum. President Marcos’ second visit to the UAE in just 14 months, according to Ambassador Ver, highlights the improving bilateral ties between Manila and Abu Dhabi. He also emphasized new areas of collaboration, such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, the digital economy, and climate adaption.
As the first Philippine leader to visit the United Arab Emirates since former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2008, President Marcos’ visit is regarded as significant.
