Sharjah 24 – WAM: Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), met with Sheikh Ould Bayeh, Speaker of the Mauritanian National Assembly, at the headquarters of the FNC in Abu Dhabi, to discuss ways of strengthening their parliamentary cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the FNC, and members of the Emirati-Mauritanian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, including Shatha Saeed Al Naqbi, Chairwoman of the Committee, Sabreen Hassan Al Yamahy, Vice Chairperson of the Committee, Ahmed Hamad Bushehab, Naema Abdulrahman Al Mansouri, Nasser Mohammed Al Yamahi, Dr. Omar Abdulrahman Al Nuaimi, FNC Secretary-General, and Afraa Rashid Al Busti, Assistant Secretary-General for Parliamentary Communication at the FNC.

The Mauritanian delegation included members of the Mauritanian-Emirati Friendship Committee, who are Khatari Al Sheikh Mahmoud, Chair of the Committee, Mohamed Yahia, Khalilo Al Dada, Seham Mohamed and Mohamed Al Sashimi.

During the meeting, Ghobash highlighted the visit’s importance in strengthening the parliamentary cooperation between the two sides, through supporting their work and boosting their coordination on issues of mutual concern, in light of regional and international developments.

He also affirmed the historic ties between the two countries, which have been supported by their leaderships since the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1973, noting that they continue to develop under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in various political, economic, commercial and developmental areas.

Ghobash stressed that the UAE and Mauritania share similar visions and stances on various issues, such as addressing terrorism and extremism, noting that the UAE is a model of coexistence and tolerance, and highlighting its efforts to address discrimination, racism and hate speech through drafting laws and establishing institutions that support global efforts in this regard.

He lauded the support of Mauritania for the UAE’s nomination for membership in the UN Security Council from 2022 to 2023 and highlighted the importance of Mauritania’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.

Bayeh expressed his appreciation for Ghobash’s invitation and commended the comprehensive renaissance seen in the UAE, stressing the importance of the visit in enhancing cooperation and parliamentary relations between their countries.