Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates- the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz had an encounter with the beautiful history and culture of this Arab nation during the last day of a working visit to the Arab nation. , to a country that more than 50 years ago, thanks to the firmness of, conquered its independence and became a sovereign state.
The Cuban Head of Government paid honors to the founding father and first president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Sheikh Sayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, whose firmness led the nation to conquering its independece and becoming an independent state more than 50 years ago. He did so in the mosque that bears his name, and in whose grounds Sheikh Zayed has his final resting place. The building, built between 1996 and 2007, is the largest in the Gulf country and the 15th largest in the world.
After touring the admirable spaces of this place, which embodies the Islamic message of peace, tolerance and diversity, Marrero Cruz wrote in the visitors book: "The Great Mosque reflects the elegance of Emirati architecture. And in it we must commit ourselves to realize the dreams of the founding fathers of our countries to achieve the prosperity of our peoples."
The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by a high-level delegation that carried out a working visit to this country and participated in the World Summit of Governments, also wrote in the visitors book a revolutionary embrace "on behalf of the people of Cuba, who are living a complex moment today, and that we are fighting together to emerge victorious," He wished the Emirati people "peace and success in their vision of the future."
The Head of Government learned how this authentic site represents the UAE, its history, its culture, its religion, and combines tradition and the contemporary. Everyone was impressed by the 82 domes, the largest of which is in the center of the main prayer hall, the more than 1,000 columns, 24-carat golden chandeliers and the world's largest carpet hand-knotted by nearly 1,200 women.
The colors of the walls, columns and carpet are harmonized in such a way as to transform the sacred place into an artistic masterpiece and a symphony of colors and shades. As the guide who accompanied us said, the mosque has solidified its position as a center of learning and discovery and is a captivating national and religious landmark.
"One breathes peace here, one breathes tranquility, one breathes compassion and, in turn, this is a good place to be inspired, to realize the dreams of the founding fathers. This is a great work that is not only for the Emirates, but for the world. Here you come to appreciate culture, to appreciate traditions, here you come to learn. It has been an honor to be able to visit it," the Prime Minister told his hosts, as he was bid farewell with the same affection he have felt since he arrived in this friendly country.
SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CITY
Masdar, the world's first carbon-free city, located in an area that was deserted until a few years ago in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Emirate's capital, had been visited earlier by the Head of Government and his delegation, to learn about this interesting residential ecological experiment.
The city was born in 2008 under the premise that in 2030, 60% of the world's population will live in large cities. Therefore, in order to cope with population growth while conserving natural resources, cities must adapt to a sustainable way of life, as done here.
In Masdar, Marrero Cruz was received by Ahmed Baghoum, the city's executive director, who explained that the city is a growth center, with an affordable urban community for innovation and a world-class business and technology DNA.
Our urban development philosophy is based on economic, social and environmental sustainability. We are dedicated to creating a new kind of city, a new way of working and living, and a more sustainable future for all, he said, referring to a city that encompasses an area of six million square meters.
And those new ways are realized, for example, with buildings that consume up to 40% less energy and water than traditional ones, and designs that integrate traditional Arab architectural techniques with modern construction technologies to capture prevailing winds and provide naturally cooled, open public spaces.
According to Ahmed Baghoum, 5,000 people currently live in Masdar and another 10,000 work there, in a site that combines electricity generation with renewable sources and has also become an ecosystem of knowledge and R&D&I, which, being a tax-free zone for companies, has turned it into a technology cluster with more than 450 local and foreign companies.
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence is located on its premises, where the Prime Minister and his delegation received a detailed briefing on the city's development prospects and the specialized degree programs for local and international students offered by the academic institution.
Sultan Al Hajji, Vice President for Public Affairs and International Relations of the University, explained that the University also aims to achieve academic and research excellence, helping its students to succeed in their careers and take advantage of the knowledge acquired to address some of the greatest challenges of our time.
Marrero Cruz expressed the will to promote training and academic exchange. At the same time, he recognized the prestige and leadership of this institution, which supports the advancement of scientific research, development, transfer and use of Artificial Intelligence in a cutting-edge environment.
"In our speech at the World Government Summit, we referred to the need to prepare ourselves for the use of Artificial Intelligence for the benefit and development of our countries and, at the same time, to prepare ourselves in all ethical issues and the control that should exist in this field of information technology, because if we do not control its use, it can do a lot of damage in the hands of unscrupulous people. That is why it is important to have a university that prepares people, the new generations, in the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," he said.
MEETING WITH BUSINESSMEN
The Cuban government's willingness to promote mutually beneficial economic-commercial ties for Cuba and the UAE, and the conviction that "together we can do many things," was ratified by the Prime Minister on Wednesday night at a meeting with businessmen from this Gulf country.
The Head of Government presented to businessmen and businesswomen the island's tourist attractions and investment opportunities in order to promote and market Cuba as a destination. He explained that we have, among other elements, more than 82,000 rooms with international standards, and 67% of the hotels are managed by companies from different nations.
Cuba is one of the safest countries in the world, it has an extensive cultural and historical legacy, as well as a hospitable people, said Marrero Cruz, who added that tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the U.S. blockade, and has also been impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"For 62 years we have been living under U.S. sanctions, but we have never lowered our heads, we have never been afraid; we have chosen freedom, we have made the decision to be free and we have resisted and we have become very strong. We will continue to be a rebellious country and a rebellious island," he reaffirmed before the businessmen.
After this exchange, he held a meeting with two UAE companies interested in commercializing Cuban biotechnology products, and agreements were signed in order to advance in that purpose. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, said that these are Heberprot-p and Melagenin, which would be the first Cuban medicines to be marketed in the Arab nation.
Translated by ESTI
