Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said the UAE stands firmly with Morocco as the Emirates announced plans to open the first Arab consulate in Western Sahara on Wednesday.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, spoke to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI by phone to discuss the “important historic decision”, state-run Wam news agency reported.
King Mohammed said the decision was "an embodiment of the UAE's firm stance with the Kingdom of Morocco in its just causes at regional and international platforms."
The consulate will be opened in the city of Laayoune, the most populous city in the disputed Western Saharan region. Morocco administers around 80 per cent of the 266,000 square kilometres of the sparsely populated desert region with the remainder held by the Algerian supported the self-declared Sahrawi Arab Republic. The breakaway state is not recognised by the UN and Morocco’s claim to the region is supported by a number of Arab and African states with the tacit approval of the US and France.
King Mohammed said he was proud that the UAE was the first Arab state to make the move to open a consulate in Laayoune but said he was not surprised given Abu Dhabi's long commitment to "championing just causes".
"Sheikh Mohamed expressed his appreciation for the leadership of King Mohammed VI, emphasising the bonds of brotherhood and joint cooperation between the two countries," Wam reported.
Several African states, including Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Eswatini and several other African nations, opened consulates in Western Sahara over the past week, Morocco's state news agency reported. The move was seen as a means to bolster support for Morocco's claim to the region.
The UN has for decades been attempting to negotiate a settlement to the conflict – that has previously seen bouts of fighting and a simmering insurgency –but attempts to revive talks in recent years have yielded few results. The UN’s peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has not commented on the recent developments.
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
