President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is currently in Dubai where she is leading a trade delegation, which amongst other things, is going to be participating in CityScape Global Expo. The Expo was officially opened on Tuesday by President Coleiro Preca and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

During a meeting before the opening of the Expo, President Coleiro Preca and the Crown Prince of Dubai spoke about exploring ways of how bilateral relations can be further developed, even on a people-to-people basis.

The President also visited the Malta stand at the Expo, which is being coordinated by Property Malta, where she thanked the exhibitors for the visibility which they are giving to Malta.

President Coleiro Preca also met with two high-representatives of Emirates Airlines, Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and President Sir Timothy Clark. During the meeting, which was also attended by the Chairman of Air Malta Charles Mangion, it was announced that, as from next winter, Emirates and Air Malta are to enter in a code-sharing agreement.

The President said that this step is further proof of the willingness that both Malta and the United Arab Emirates have to further develop a more effective connectivity, which will be beneficial not only for the tourism sector but also for our businesses.

President Coleiro Preca is accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and the Property Market Chris Agius, the Chairman of Property Malta Sandro Chetcuti, and Consul General Anthony Tabone.

As part of her working visit to the United Arab Emirates, the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, also delivered a speech during an event organised for the Maltese Community in Dubai, on the occasion of the National Day of Malta.

President Coleiro Preca said that the visit to the UAE is aimed at continuing the consolidation of “our excellent relations among our governments, authorities, and also between the private sectors of both Malta and the United Arab Emirates,” adding that Malta’s participation at the CityScape Global Expo, through Property Malta’s initiative, the fruitful meeting with Emirates Airlines, and the visit to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, had achieved just that – a consolidation of the already present excellent relations, and the creation of tangible cooperation.