Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, recently held a telephonic discussion with Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

During the phone call, Bill Gates congratulated Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr and extended best wishes for further growth and prosperity of the UAE and its community members.

Sheikh Mohammed and Bill Gates also discussed potential ways to boost cooperation to intensify the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in hard-hit poor communities. They stressed the need for boosting collective efforts to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines across the world as a crucial step towards global recovery from the pandemic.

Thanking Bill Gates for his Eid greetings, Sheikh Mohamed highlighted the position of the UAE leadership in the ongoing fight against the pandemic. He further called for international cooperation and solidarity to curb the spread of the virus and mitigate its repercussions.

Bill Gates praised the humanitarian role played by the UAE in helping and supporting several countries across the world by providing logistical support for the delivery of vaccines and assisting relevant international organisations in their relief efforts.

He also lauded the proactive and efficient approach of the UAE in addressing the COVID-19 impact through the adoption of strict, world-class preventive and precautionary measures since the beginning of the start of the pandemic. The Emirati community demonstrated the highest commitment to the precautionary measures which helped in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country.

WAM