His Excellency Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, received His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and UAE astronaut, along with his accompanying delegation in the Serbian capital Belgrade. President Vučić affirmed the importance of developing the partnership and broadening the horizons of cooperation in areas of mutual interest, in line with the strong relations and deep ties binding the two countries and their shared aspirations for investing in people and building the future.
During the meeting, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State — may God protect him — and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the State and Ruler of Dubai — may God bless him — and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with their wishes to the Republic of Serbia and its friendly people for continued progress and prosperity.
For his part, President Aleksandar Vučić asked His Excellency to convey his greetings to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State — may God protect him — and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the State and Ruler of Dubai — may God bless him — and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with his wishes for the United Arab Emirates, its government and people, for further progress and prosperity.
This took place within the framework of His Excellency Sultan Al Neyadi's visit with his accompanying delegation to the Republic of Serbia, attended by His Excellency Ahmed Hatem Al Manhaali, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and develop cooperation in the fields of youth, education, scientific research, technology and space sciences, in addition to developing bilateral initiatives and enhancing institutional coordination in service of both countries' aspirations for sustainable development based on knowledge and innovation.
The delegation also included UAE astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri, Director of the Astronaut Corps at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and Mohammed Al Mulla, who reviewed the most prominent achievements of the UAE's space sector and presented an overview of the latest national projects and programmes in space exploration, as well as the UAE's efforts in preparing and qualifying national talent — reflecting the advanced standing the country has achieved in this vital sector and opening broader horizons for cooperation and exchange of expertise with the Serbian side.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi said: "The United Arab Emirates continues to consolidate its approach to building effective international partnerships based on mutual trust, complementary expertise and knowledge exchange, stemming from its belief that international cooperation is a fundamental pillar for accelerating development, advancing innovative solutions and empowering people to lead the future and create opportunities."
He added: "This visit reflects the continuous development that characterises relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Serbia, and embodies the shared commitment to expanding areas of joint work, benefiting from leading experiences and building quality initiatives that contribute to developing capabilities and enhancing the readiness of generations to keep pace with global changes and contribute effectively to the journey of development."
On the sidelines of the visit, His Excellency Al Neyadi held a number of bilateral meetings with several ministers in the Serbian government, including His Excellency Husein Memić, Minister of Tourism and Youth; His Excellency Dejan Vuk Stanković, Minister of Education; and His Excellency Béla Bálint, Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation. Both sides reviewed opportunities to develop joint initiatives in the fields of youth, education and scientific research, alongside expanding cooperation in innovation, technology and space sciences, and discussed mechanisms for launching quality programmes that support capacity-building and strengthen institutional cooperation pathways between the two countries.
His Excellency also visited the Petnica Science Centre, one of Serbia's most prominent scientific centres specialising in nurturing young students and researchers, where he reviewed its research and scientific programmes and delivered a lecture in which he highlighted the UAE's experience in the space sector, its achievements in building national capabilities, developing the scientific ecosystem and entrenching a culture of innovation. He affirmed that investing in science and technology is a key driver of the knowledge economy and equips young people with the tools needed to contribute to shaping the future.
The visit programme also included inspiring tours of a number of youth and scientific institutions, among them the National Association of Local Youth Offices, in addition to a visit to the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade and a tour of the Palace of Serbia and several national and cultural landmarks, to learn about Serbian experiences in the fields of youth and science and explore opportunities for cooperation and exchange of expertise in sectors of mutual interest.