French President Emmanuel Macron stated that culture is the cornerstone of the strategic relations between the UAE and France while expressing his happiness at their investment in culture, through supporting literary translations between the Arabic and French languages.
While visiting the UAE pavilion at the Paris International Book Fair, Mr Macron was received by Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
In his remarks to state news agency WAM, Mr Macron said that the strategic relations between the UAE and France are a model of successful ties between countries while wishing that culture could be given greater attention in major co-operation projects, which will bring the two countries together.
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"I am very happy to be at the UAE pavilion, which is renowned for its investment in French books and its translations between the Arabic and French languages. This makes me very proud, especially since it only comes a few months after the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and when Sharjah will become the world's book capital, after Conakry and Athens. This is an important cultural transition," Mr Macron added.
In his reply to a question on Sharjah’s stature and the co-operation between France and the UAE, Mr Macron stressed, "It has a very prominent status. In fact, I want culture to have a greater role in the relations between the UAE and France. I made this very clear in my speech at the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi because I believe in the importance of culture to building our future together."