BAKU, 2nd March, 2023 (WAM) — Representing President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, on Thursday participated in the Summit Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), under the patronage of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Baku in the presence of heads of state, prime ministers and representatives of more than 70 countries and international and international organisations to discuss the post-recovery response from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heading the UAE delegation to the summit, RAK Ruler said that the UAE's participation in the summit comes within the framework of the country's keenness to emphasise the values of solidarity and concerted efforts towards international issues and to coordinate stances on the global arena to develop international security and stability, and achieve the aspirations of peoples for sustainable development.
Sheikh Saud pointed out that the UAE, under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed, and based on its humanitarian role towards friendly countries and peoples during the COVID-19 pandemic, had implemented many humanitarian initiatives and assisted countries regardless of religion or beliefs and worked hard with regional and global organisations for rapid response to reduce the repercussions of the pandemic on humanity.
He also noted that the post-COVID-19 recovery period requires international solidarity and joint coordination among member states to continue the recovery process to limit the adverse effects of the pandemic and stimulate economic growth and development.
The RAK Ruler thanked the government and people of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the good organisation and warm welcome and its role during its presidency of the NAM Summit in addition to the initiatives launched by President Ilham Aliyev, which contributed to coordinating efforts among member states and strengthening global solidarity to face the pandemic through teamwork and cooperation at all levels.
In his speech during the summit’s opening, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan reviewed the movement’s achievements during his country’s assumption of the presidency for the period 2019-2022, which was extended by unanimous decision for another year until the end of 2023.
He said that his country initiated the mobilisation of global efforts to combat the pandemic by establishing a working group of NAM to develop a database that the World Health Organisation utilised as a reference to determine the needs of the movement's member states to address the pandemic.
He also stressed that Azerbaijan had provided during COVID-19, financial and humanitarian support to countries, mostly from NAM, through bilateral channels or the World Health Organisation.
The UAE participating delegation in the summit included Abdulrahman bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; Mohammed Murad Al Balushi, UAE Ambassador to Azerbaijan; Yousif Mohammed Al Serkal, Director-General of Emirates Health Services (EHS), Hamad Al Rahma Al Shamsi, Director of the RAK Ruler Office, and several officials.