COTONOU, Benin, March 21st, 2023 (WAM) — Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, met with Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, during a visit to Cotonou, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding alongside Aurélien Agbénonci, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Benin, to promote technical collaboration between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Benin.
During the meeting, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as well as their wishes for further development and prosperity for the people of Benin.
For his part, President Talon conveyed his greetings to UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and expressed his wishes for the people of the UAE to achieve further growth and prosperity.
Both parties affirmed the strong bilateral relations between their countries and expressed their desire to further enhance cooperation by exploring promising opportunities in various sectors, including renewable energy, hydrogen energy, agriculture, education, ports, tourism, and artificial intelligence.
The two parties also affirmed their mutual keenness to develop bilateral cooperation, which reflects the strength of the relationship between the UAE and African nations, as well as their commitment to working side by side to achieve common interests.
Commenting on the memorandum of understanding, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan said: “This MoU affirms our keenness to strengthen cooperation and partnership with African nations, and we look forward to exchanging experiences and knowledge with Benin while working together to achieve our shared goals in the interest of our peoples."