Bulgaria considers the United Arab Emirates a strategic partner in the Middle East and relations between the two countries are developing with increasing intensity. This is what President Rumen Radev said today when he awarded UAE's Ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E. Sultan Rashid Sultan Alkaitoob Alnuaimi, with the Order of the Madara Horseman, First Class, for the diplomat's particularly great services to the development and deepening of bilateral relations.

In his address at the ceremony, the Head of State highlighted Ambassador Alnuaimi's endeavour to upgrade the relations between Bulgaria and the UAE. The President thanked the diplomat for his efforts and for his contribution to the important bilateral documents signed during the visit of the Bulgarian Head of State to the UAE in 2022, as well as for the progress in cooperation in energy, defence, transport, education, science, culture, tourism, innovation and high technologies.

The Head of State congratulated Ambassador Alnuaimi and the UAE for the good organisation of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai and highlighted the high level of leadership and responsibility demonstrated during the global forum. Even though your country is one of the most fossil fuel rich, you have shown extraordinary responsibility in developing green technologies, green energy extraction and something very important - we are now partners in a very important declaration to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. I foresee that our countries can successfully cooperate in this direction as well, the President said. He also highlighted the diplomat's efforts for Bulgaria to open for the first time its own pavilion at the annual world forum to display its achievements in decarbonisation and its ambitions in technology and innovative green industries.

Ambassador Alnuaimi expressed his gratitude for the honour and the highest state distinction received, stressing that the peoples of Bulgaria and the UAE continue to develop a special relationship based on cooperation, understanding and respect. The diplomat pointed out that during his tenure in Bulgaria he had the opportunity to work in close contact with all state institutions and expressed gratitude for the support received for his country at all levels.

President Radev's visit to our country in 2022 has opened new doors and opportunities for dialogue and cooperation, as well as further development and deepening of relations between Bulgaria and the United Arab Emirates. This would not have been possible without the support of President Rumen Radev. Bulgaria has a very special place in my heart, Ambassador Alnuaimi concluded.