- DUBAI, 02 FEB - Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday opened the national day dedicated to Spain at Expo 2020 Dubai, during an official ceremony under the iconic dome of Al Wasl Plaza. "This is Spain: solidarity, creativity and innovation" and with the Emirates "we will develop a strategic partnership to contribute to stability and regional and global prosperity, to promote human rights, to participate in multilateral efforts to deal with the challenges of climate change", the prime minister said.
    "Our most urgent priority is to overcome the pandemic. Spain and the Emirates have successful vaccination campaigns that have become international" and we both "understand that international solidarity to fight Covid-19 is a moral duty. My country is committed to offering over 50 million vaccines with a particular focus on Latin America and Africa".
    Spain and the Emirates "continue to walk together in these efforts and, in this regard, we will sign an important agreement today", stressed Sanchez.
    During economic recovery, "Spain and the Emirates will continue to cooperate. We want to increase jobs, opportunities of investment and development projects. We are proud to have 200 of our best companies here and am expanding Spanish community.
    Our community is expected to grow above the EU average in the coming years" and "we are attracting an increasing number of Emirati and international investments", said the Spanish premier.
    The Spanish prime minister was welcomed at the official ceremony by the Emirati minister of tolerance and general commissioner of Expo 2020 Dubai, Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
    "The Emirates and Spain share a deep friendship that culminated in bilateral exchanges that exceeded 2 billion dollars" and we hope "to expand our horizon of collective efforts in several areas of common interest, like food, security, education and cultural exchanges".
    After the ceremony, the Spanish premier walked to Spain's pavilion to visit the country's exhibition space, accompanied by the general commissioner of Expo Dubai. In the afternoon, he will take part in a press conference at the Spanish pavilion.
    Sanchez arrived last night in the Emirates as part of an official visit, 11 years since the last trip by a Spanish head of government to the Gulf country. The premier will hold a round of political and economic meetings aimed at promoting investments in Spain. During the visit, a memorandum of agreement will be signed between the Emirati sovereign fund Mubadala to help Emirati investments in the European country.
    The agenda of the Spanish premier's visit includes a meeting in Dubai with Emirati vice president and prime minister, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum, and a meeting in Abu Dhabi with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and de-facto ruler, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Madrid has reassured that during the trip there will be no contacts between Sanchez and king emeritus Joan Carlos, who has been living in Abu Dhabi since August 2020, as he waits for prosecutors to complete investigations on him.