On December 2, H. E. Mr. Abdulrahman Ahmed Aljaber, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to the Republic of Bulgaria,

hosted a reception at the Hyatt Regency Sofia Hotel to commemorate the founding and establishment of the UAE. The event was attended by officials, ambassadors, and diplomats, as well as representatives from the business, cultural, and media sectors, along with friends of the UAE.

E. Mr. Abdulrahman Ahmed Aljaber, who recently presented his credentials in Bulgaria on May 20, warmly welcomed his guests and delivered a ceremonial address:

I am pleased to welcome you today to celebrate the fifty-third anniversary of the founding and establishment of the United Arab Emirates. It is a great honor to share with you today this national event that embodies the spirit of unification and the aspirations of our wise leadership and people for a brighter future.

As we celebrate the 53rd National Day, we look to the future with confidence and determination under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, "Мay God protect him" and his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates.

The UAE’s role in the system of international relations is constantly developing thanks to the excellent relations it has with most countries in the world.

In this context, I am pleased to commend the close relations between the UAE and the Republic of Bulgaria and the visit of His Excellency President Rumen Radev to Abu Dhabi in September 2022, which witnessed the signing of many agreements, most notably the strategic partnership agreement, contributed to strengthening relations in all areas, which testifies to more development and growth today, leading to the signing of the largest investment agreement by the UAE Telecommunications Company to purchase 51% of the shares of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company Yettel.

The UAE has also become a tourist destination for thousands of Bulgarian tourists, which led to an increase in the number of flights to 10 per week with Flydubai and Waziz Air, in addition to the fact that from 31 March 2025 there will be 3 direct flights per week between the capital Abu Dhabi and the coastal city of Varna, not to mention the nearly 7,000 citizens working and residing in the UAE, who represent the largest Bulgarian community in the Middle East region.

Among the most notable achievements of the UAE in the economic sector and in international cooperation are:

     - Full membership of the BRICS group;

     - Fifth participation in the Group of Twenty (G20);

     - Joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a partner in the sectoral dialogue;

     - Successful campaigns to support the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA);

     - Exiting the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) "grey list" within two years, in addition to completing a 59-point action plan.

The UAE is fully committed to promoting women′s rights based on its belief that their empowerment is essential for the development of a modern and advanced society, and women in the UAE participate equally in civic, economic and political life. The strategies implemented in the country strengthen the role of women in peace and security through many international initiatives, such as the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Initiative for Women, Peace and Security, which qualifies women to participate in peacekeeping missions. In line with the directives of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, "God have mercy on him", the percentage of Emirati women’s representation in Federal National Council seats was raised to 50%, starting from Her Excellency’s election cycle in 2019. Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi was elected President of the Federal National Council, making her the first woman to hold the presidency of the regional-level parliamentary institution.

The UAE’s role has emerged as one of the most effective countries in responding to global humanitarian crises. Since 1971, humanitarian aid has reached 206 countries on 6 continents with a total of (US$97 billion) UAE diplomacy has also achieved success in nine prisoner exchanges between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, involving 2,184 prisoners, reflecting the UAE’s credibility as a reliable international mediator for both countries.

As part of its historic commitment to the brotherly Palestinian people, the Emirates  spares no effort to extend a helping hand to the Palestinian brothers and provide initiatives to assist them, whether by land, sea or air, as it reached 46,279 tons of emergency supplies through 519 flights and 181 airdrops, in addition to the delivery of 5,518 tons of supplies via the sea corridor in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development, the United States and the Republic of Cyprus. The United Nations, the American Near East Refugee Agency (ANERA) and the World Central Kitchen Foundation.

As part of the directives of the President, "May God protect him", 977 wounded and sick people from the Gaza Strip were transferred to receive medical care in government hospitals, while two field hospitals with a capacity of 300 beds were established to provide therapeutic care to our brothers in Gaza.

Regarding the situation in Lebanon and in response to the difficult humanitarian conditions, His Highness the President, "May God protect him", ordered the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance worth $100 million, in addition to the $30 million in assistance for Lebanese refugees in the Syrian Republic, along with the dispatch of 375 tons of medical and food supplies and equipment for accommodation on flights.

In Sudan, since the beginning of the crisis, the United Arab Emirates has provided US$240.25 million in support of the humanitarian response (bringing the total value of assistance provided by the UAE to the Sudanese people between 2014-2024 to over US$3.5 billion), as well as 10,000 tons of food and medical supplies and other relief materials.

The UAE has made great strides in sustainability, advancing to 18th place globally in the "Investment in Green Energy and Clean Technologies" index. In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, May God protect him, the UAE has launched the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative to address the urgent global challenge of water scarcity. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance and severity of the water scarcity crisis internationally, in addition to accelerating the development of innovative technological solutions to address it.

The UAE continued its efforts in climate action through major partnerships and agreements aimed at achieving global sustainability goals, with a focus on the outcomes of COP28, most notably the historic "UAE Agreement" between 198 countries, which paved the way for a new phase of climate action, by raising and mobilizing more than $85 billion in financing and launching 11 commitments and declarations that go into an ambitious climate action plan to preserve the possibility of avoiding global temperature increases of more than 1.5°.

These achievements embody the UAE′s vision and their wise leadership to build a world-leading country that combines innovation, tolerance and sustainability to serve people and humanity.

I would like to thank all of you for coming and sharing this precious national holiday with us.

Every year the UAE is blessed with kindness and every year the whole world enjoys kindness and peace.

Following the words of His Excellency, the guests enjoyed performances of traditional Emirati men's dances and visited a specially arranged corner featuring works of Emirati folk crafts. They also enjoyed the incredibly flavorful dishes of Arab cuisine.

Photos: Courtesy of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the Republic of Bulgaria. Above: H. E. Mr. Abdulrahman Ahmed Aljaber, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Bulgaria