King Mohammed VI, who started this Monday an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, was welcomed by President of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at an official ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.
From the Palace entrance to the “Zayed” gate, the Royal procession was escorted by a squadron of horsemen, a tradition reserved for welcoming distinguished guests of the United Arab Emirates.
From the “Zayed” gate to the “Al Hisn” gate, King Mohammed VI’s motorcade reviewed Emirati folk troupes performing songs and dances to welcome the Sovereign.
On this occasion, the “Al Fursan” national aerobatic team took to the skies above the Palace, tracing ribbons of smoke in the red and green colors of the Moroccan flag, as a 21-gun salute sounded to welcome King Mohammed VI.
On arrival at the “Al Hisn” gate, the King was greeted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The two Heads of State then greeted the national colors to the sound of the two national anthems, before reviewing a detachment of Emirati land, naval and air forces that made the honors.
After posing for a souvenir photo with His Brother Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, King Mohammed VI was greeted by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Vice-President of the State of the United Arab Emirates, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Cabinet, Sheikh Khaleed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hazaa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Deputy Governor of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of the Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahayan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Sheikh Seif bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Vice-Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Managing Member of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sheikh Diab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Head of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs.
The Sovereign was also greeted by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad Al-Nahyan, Advisor to the Presidential Cabinet, Sheikh Chakhbout bin Nahyan Al-Nahyan, Minister of State, Ali Ben Hamad Echamssi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for National Security, Anouar Karkach, Diplomatic Advisor to the Emirati President, Souhail Mohamed Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Mariam Bint Mohammad Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Mohamed Hassan Souidi, Minister of Investment, Mohamed Ali Chourafa, Head of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi and Al Asri Saeed Ahmed Adhahiri, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Rabat.
The President of the United Arab Emirates was, for his part, greeted by members of the official delegation accompanying the Sovereign, including Moulay Abdellah Alaoui and Moulay Youssef Alaoui.
The delegation also includes the King’s Advisor, Fouad Ali El Himma, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohamed Abdeljalil, Minister in charge of Investment, Mohcine Jazouli, Minister in charge of the Budget, Faouzi Lekjaa, and the Chamberlain of the the King, Sidi Mohammed Alaoui.
The official delegation is also composed of Ahmed Tazi, Moroccan Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed Benchaaboun, Managing Director of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund, Abdellatif Zaghnoun, Managing Director of the National Agency for Strategic Management of State Holdings and Performance Monitoring of Public Establishments and Companies, Abdelhamid Addou, Chairman and CEO of RAM, Amina Benkhadra, Managing Director of the National Hydrocarbons and Mining Office, Mostafa Terrab, Chairman and CEO of the OCP Group, Abderrahim El Hafidi, Managing Director of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, Mohamed Rabii Khlie, Managing Director of the National Railways Office, Faiçal Laaraichi, Chairman and CEO of the National Radio and Television Company and Soread 2M, Karim Bouzida, Chargé de mission at the Royal Cabinet, El Hassan El Asri, Director of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Abdelouahed El Karroumi, Director of Financing at the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development, as well as several other prominent figures.
