Mr. Ahmed Albadawi, Ag. Chargé d’Affaires of the United Emirates Arab Embassy in Addis Ababa;

Mme Ms. Hind Alowais, Vice President for International Participants for Expo 2020;
H.E. Mrs. Rosette Nyirinkindi Katungye, Advisor on Regional Integration to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
Ms. Nadine El-Hakim, Technical Advisor on Strategic Partnerships to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
Dear Members of the two Delegations;

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

It is with great honor, tremendous enthusiasm and high hopes that I open this Workshop today. The first in a series of workshops, in which the ultimate aim is to ensure the successful participation of the African Union Commission at the Expo 2020 in Dubai, in UAE.

Allow me to extend my heartfelt welcome to the esteemed delegates from the UAE Embassy in Addis Ababa and the Expo 2020 team to the beautiful city of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Africa. . I hope you find the facilities and organization of the Workshop to your satisfaction.

I also would like to thank the technical departments of the AUC for their participation and contribution towards the preparations for this Workshop.

The long-standing relationship between the African continent and the Arab peninsula is cemented by the historical, cultural and economic ties fostered by our geographic proximity.

The visit of H.E. M. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyanto, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E Moussa Faki in March 2018, formalized the cooperation between the African Union Commission and UAE and laid the foundation of a cooperation based on mutual interest and benefits.

In advancing the collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and the African Union (AU), the African Union Commission (AUC) has been invited by the Government of the U.A.E to participate in the Expo2020 Dubai scheduled to take place from 20 October 2020 until 10 April 2021, in Dubai.

The Theme "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future", with sub-themes: Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity selected by UAE for the Expo is timely and at the core of the African Union strategic vision and priorities, as enshrined Agenda 2063. To this end, this workshop which brings together experts from the technical departments of the AUC, representatives of the private sector (large scale enterprise) and youth entrepreneurs is organized to advance AU participation at all levels including, defining the objectives and deliverables expected from showcasing Africa at the Expo2020 and seeking how we can capture the elements of Agenda 2063, and link them to the Expo themes and sub-themes, so as to maximize the impact of Expo2020 for Africa.

Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish, once again, to take this opportunity to renew the African Union Commission’s commitment to work closely with you toward the strengthening and realization of our shared visions and aspirations and of course the success of Expo 2020Dubai.

With these few remarks, I look forward to constructive deliberations during this workshop.

I thank you.