UAE President praises ‘deep bonds of friendship’ on Saudi Arabia’s 94th National Day

Countries share vision for progress and prosperity throughout region, Sheikh Mohamed says

President Sheikh Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time, with Saudi Arabia's King Salman in 2017. Photo: Crown Prince Court Abu Dhabi

President Sheikh Mohamed has hailed the UAE's deep bonds of friendship with Saudi Arabia as the kingdom marks its 94th National Day.

“On the occasion of Saudi National Day, I extend my congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the people of Saudi Arabia,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on social media.

“United by deeply rooted bonds of friendship, our countries share a vision for the progress and prosperity of people throughout the region, and together we look to the future with ambition and confidence.”

The UAE marked Saudi Arabia's 94th National Day on Monday to honour the strong ties between the countries.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, also sent his congratulations.

“We congratulate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its people, its King and its loyal Crown Prince on the occasion of National Day,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“May the Kingdom always be blessed with goodness, honour, prosperity, security, and safety. We pray that God continues to strengthen our love, brotherhood and solid relations, and with God willing, the two brotherly nations remain on a path of a continuous, stable and accelerated development.”

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also congratulated Saudi Arabia's King Salman and highlighted the “solid relations … based on a long history of co-operation and an ambitious vision to achieve a more advanced and prosperous future for their people”.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and chairman of the Dubai Media Council, attended a special reception hosted by the Saudi Consulate General in Dubai to mark the occasion.

“We extend our congratulations to the Kingdom, wishing them continued success in their journey towards prosperity and greatness. We also reaffirm the strong and enduring ties between our two nations,” Sheikh Ahmed wrote on social media.

Over the past decade, non-oil trade between the two nations saw significant growth, increasing by approximately 69 per cent to about Dh135 billion ($36.75 billion) last year compared with Dh79.9 billion in 2013, data from the UAE Ministry of Economy shows.

The trade volume between the UAE and Saudi Arabia during the first half of this year reached $17.53 billion, a growth rate of 22.50 per cent compared with $14.31 billion during the same period last year, according to data from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics.

The UAE's exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 10.26 per cent to $6.80 billion in the first half of this year, compared with $6.16 billion in the same period of last year, while the UAE's imports from Saudi Arabia amounted to $10.73 billion in the first half of this year, compared with $8.15 billion in the first half of last year.

In 2016, the two countries established the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council to advance the integrated economic system.