Maria Camilleri Calleja presented her letters of credence as Malta’s first resident Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, 23 November 2020 at Qasr al-Watan (The National Palace) in Abu Dhabi, received by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.  Ambassador Camilleri Calleja is also the first Maltese female Ambassador to ever present credentials in the Gulf region.

Following the raising of the Maltese flag and the playing of the Maltese National Anthem, Ambassador Camilleri Calleja conveyed in the Arabic language the salutations of the President of the Republic of Malta and the desire to continue to enhance the excellent relations which already exist between the two countries.  In the past months, Malta and the United Arab Emirates have converged on various levels – political and technical – to discuss matters of mutual interest namely healthcare, aquaculture, commerce, investment, sports, youth affairs, cultural cooperation, climate change and the environment, as well as the situation in and around the Mediterranean and the impact of COVID-19.

On his part, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid noted he was glad to receive and welcomed the first Ambassador of Malta resident in the country and noted that all cabinet ministers will continue to assist in the amplification of relations between the two countries.

This was the first in-person presentation of credentials held in the United Arab Emirates since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.  A total of seven Ambassadors presented credentials (in order of precedence): Malta, Bangladesh, Mauritania, Afghanistan, The Maldives, France and Vietnam.

Last Thursday, 19 November 2020, Ambassador Camilleri Calleja also presented her letters of credence to the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), located in Abu Dhabi, as Malta’s first Permanent Representative to IRENA.  During their conversation, Ambassador Camilleri Calleja thanked Director-General Francesco La Camera for the forthcoming disposition of all experts at IRENA who have already started working with Maltese experts in renewable energy sharing as a first meeting was held on 1^st October 2020 to explore ways how the two sides can take forward this renewable energy portfolio in the context of the international commitments enshrined in the Paris Agreement within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

This signifies that the Embassy of the Republic of Malta in the United Arab Emirates will now carry two portfolios: that of a bilateral embassy to strengthen relations with the United Arab Emirates as well as Permanent Representation with the scope of forging stronger relations with the IRENA and its member states.