President Duterte has sent his condolences to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government and its people following the demise of their leader President and His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“The President conveys the Filipino nation’s solidarity with the UAE in this period of great loss and bereavement,” Malacañang said in a brief statement.
Duterte described Sheikh Khalifa as a “bold visionary whose leadership was crucial in the UAE’s sustained economic transformation and deeper engagement with the international community, including the Philippines.”
The Palace said Duterte’s sympathy message was personally conveyed to the UAE government, through Special Envoy Secretary Robert E. A. Borje.
UAE state media announced the death of Sheikh Khalifa last week, prompting world leaders to express their condolences to the UAE for the loss of their head of their state.
“The President said His Highness Sheikh Khalifa will long be remembered even beyond the UAE for his legacy of leadership, wisdom and benevolence,” Malacañang said.
The Philippines maintains close ties with the UAE, which serves as one of the top destinations for overseas Filipino workers.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 14.6 percent or 258,420 of the 1.77 million OFWs abroad in 2020 are in the UAE.