Abu Dhabi Crown Prince meets Afghan President

Pair meet at the Presidential Palace in the UAE capital

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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, met Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The Crown Prince welcomed Mr Ghani at the Presidential Palace, where he was given an official reception. The national anthems of the two countries were played, and a 21-gun salute was fired in his honour.

Following the ceremony, Mr Ghani was welcomed by Sheikhs, Ministers and senior officials. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also greeted members of the Afghan delegation.

The two then held official talks where they discussed enhancing bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, Sheikh Mohamed said in a tweet.

Six agreements, the presence of Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Ghani, were signed with the aim of promoting and developing joint co-operation between the two countries.

Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Mohammad Qayoumi, Afghanistan's Acting Minister of Finance, signed four agreements on education, mining, energy, and sport co-operation.

Mr Qayoumi also signed an agreement on cultural co-operation with Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and an agreement on agricultural co-operation with Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.

Mr Ghani then paid a visit to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at Zabeel Palace.

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Co-operation, also attended the meeting.

Mr Ghani, who assumed presidency in September 2014, last visited Abu Dhabi in February 2017 where he met with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and the two discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi affirmed that the UAE would continue to support the people of Afghanistan in humanitarian and development projects.

The meeting came a month after five Emirati diplomats were killed in two bombings at the Kandahar governor's residence. The Emiratis were in the second largest city in Afghanistan on a humanitarian mission.