The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Samoa, Abdullah Al Subousi, presented credentials to the Head of State on Tuesday morning.

The UAE diplomat is based in Canberra, Australia, and is a career diplomat with over 20 years of service having held various positions at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Chief of the European Union desk and was involved in the European Union Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade negotiations.

Since the establishment of Samoa and the United Arab Emirates diplomatic relations on 10 May 2010, both countries have continued to maintain friendly cordial relations rooted in mutual respect and trust.

As highlighted in the remarks delivered by the Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, and the Ambassador during the credential ceremony, both countries continue to work alongside each other in the bilateral and multilateral stages to achieve their priorities, particularly in areas of climate change, food security and the sustainable development of our economies for the prosperity of our peoples and countries.

The UAE will be hosting the COP28 in Dubai from 30 November 2023 to 12 December 2023 and this provides an opportunity to actively participate in the ongoing UNFCCC COP meetings reaffirming the two countries' commitment to collaborate in combating the devastating effects of climate change. 

Mr. Subousi also served as the Director of the American and Pacific Affairs Section holding the title of Ambassador at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Consul General of the UAE in Los Angeles covering the west coast of the U.S. Before this, he served two diplomatic tours in the UAE Embassy in Washington DC as Director of Congressional Affairs before being appointed Consul and Head of Legal Affairs and ended his tour of duty as Head of the Political Section. He is accredited to Samoa with residence in Canberra, Australia.