DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE RALLIES AROUND UAE AFTER DEATH OF SHEIKH KHALIFA
▶ Ministers, ambassadors and officials visit Emirati missions around the world to pay tribute to the former president, writes Ismaeel Naar
UAE embassies around the world continue to receive people from the diplomatic community, who have been visiting to offer their condolences after the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
Saudi Arabia
Heads of diplomatic missions to Saudi Arabia visited the UAE embassy to sign the condolence book and pay tribute.
UAE mission to the UN
Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh and UAE diplomats received ambassadors and diplomats from friendly nations including GCC and Arab states, who offered their condolences.
Washington
Since Friday, the embassy has received visitors from the US government and the diplomatic community in Washington, including ambassador Salem
Al Sabah and diplomats from Kuwait and former US ambassador to the UAE, David Mack.
UK
The UAE’s ambassador to the UK, Mansoor Abulhoul, and fellow diplomats received visitors at the embassy yesterday who came to express their condolences.
Leaders from around the world continue to arrive in Abu Dhabi to pay their respects following the death of Sheikh Khalifa and the election of the President, Sheikh Mohamed.
South Korea
In Seoul, Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited the UAE embassy to offer his condolences.
Bader Al Awadi, ambassador of Kuwait to Seoul and dean of the diplomatic corps for Arab countries in South Korea, also visited the embassy to pay tribute to Sheikh Khalifa.
France
Hend Al Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to France, received several diplomats and guests at the embassy in Paris, who offered their deepest condolences to the leaders and people of the Emirates.
Kuwait
Marzouq Al Ghanim, the Speaker of Kuwait’s National Assembly, visited the embassy and offered his condolences.
Boston
Citizens of the UAE and other Arab nations offered funeral prayers in their absence for Sheikh Khalifa at the Consulate General of Boston after the noon prayer on Saturday.
Chad
Sheikh Dr Muhammad Khater Issa, chairman of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Chad, offered his condolences.
Amer bin Ali Al Shehri, ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Chad, also expressed his condolences to the UAE.
Italy
In Rome, ambassador Omar Obaid Al Shamsi accepted the condolences of Sheikh Azzam Al Sabah, ambassador of Kuwait to Italy, and of Ahmed Baomar, Oman’s ambassador to Italy. The diplomats visited the UAE’s embassy to grieve the death of Sheikh Khalifa and offer their condolences.
Peru
Representatives of the Peruvian government and heads of representative missions to Peru also offered their condolences. Maria Del Pilar Cordero Jon Tay, member of the Peruvian parliament; Walid bin Abdullah Muqeem, ambassador of Saudi Arabia; Amin Chaoudri, ambassador of Morocco; and Mandarapu Subbarayudu, ambassador of India, offered their condolences to the UAE’s ambassador, Mohammed Abdullah Al Shamsi.
India
India’s Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, visited the UAE embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book and conveyed the condolences of the Indian government to the leadership and people of UAE.
Wael Hamed, Egypt’s ambassador to India, and Muhammad Jabal, the Egyptian military attache, also visited the UAE embassy in India.
Pakistan
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, chairman of the country’s Senate, visited the UAE embassy in Islamabad and offered their condolences.
Russia
Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and special envoy of the Russian President for the Middle East and Africa, visited the UAE embassy to pay tribute.
China
In China, the UAE embassy received heads of missions, officials and members of the diplomatic community.
Argentina
The UAE embassy in Argentina received ambassadors of sister Arab countries, as well other diplomats and dignitaries, who visited to mourn the death of Sheikh Khalifa and pay tribute to him.
Poland
Ambassador Iman Ahmed Al Salami and representatives from the mission received mourners following the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
New Zealand
Ambassadors and officials of diplomatic missions, and figures from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade extended their condolences.
Bahrain
Ambassador Khalil Yaqoub Al Khayat, Bahrain’s acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Consular and Administrative Affairs, offered his condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
Malaysia
Several ambassadors to Malaysia and Malaysian officials and journalists attended Sheikh Khalifa’s funeral prayers in their absence.
Sudan
Mini Minawi, Governor of the Darfur region in Sudan, offered his condolences.
The UAE is in a mourning period that began on Saturday. Normal working hours will resume today.
There will be 40 days of official mourning with flags flying at half-staff.