Sharjah24 – WAM: Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), met with Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian National Council, and his delegation, on the sidelines of the 11th International Astronomical Federation (IAF) International Meeting for Members of Parliaments, which organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, in collaboration with the IAF, at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 29th October, 2021.
During the meeting, the sides discussed strengthening their parliamentary cooperation, in line with the ongoing strategic partnership and relations between the UAE and Austria, which are witnessing significant development in various areas.
Ghobash welcomed Sobotka and his delegation and thanked him for visiting the UAE while commending the outcomes of their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held in September 2021.
He also lauded the strategic relations between the UAE and Austria and their efforts to upgrade them, most notably following the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to Austria in July 2021, as well as the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement.
The UAE’s policy for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be effective during the recovery planning stage, he added, highlighting the successful strategic balance achieved across vital sectors, which ensured the return to normalcy across tourism, transport and other industries. He also noted the UAE’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is among the highest globally.
Ghobash praised Austria’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, stressing that the Austrian pavilion highlights the links between people, technology and the environment.
Sobotka commended the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by the two friendly countries, covering key areas, including politics, parliamentary relations, the economy, security, education and technology.
The meeting was attended by Hamad Al Rahoumi, First Deputy Speaker of the FNC, Dr. Omar Al Nuaimi, FNC Secretary-General, and several other FNC members.