US President thanked the UAE and its leadership for their support in helping evacuate American diplomats and nationals from Afghanistan, as well as nationals of allies countries and Afghans who hold visas from these countries, reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, last night received a phone call from President Joe Biden of the United States of America, during which President Biden thanked the UAE and its leadership for their support in helping evacuate American diplomats and nationals from Afghanistan, as well as nationals of allies countries and Afghans who hold visas from these countries.
“We highly appreciate the UAE’s humanitarian efforts in facilitating the safe transit of American citizens, embassies’ employees and foreigners who were evacuated from Kabul on their way to a third country,” said President Biden, adding that this stance represents the strong and everlasting partnership between the UAE and the US.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and the US President also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments and issues of common interest.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken further thanked the UAE in a tweet later on Saturday.
The US has flown at least 17,000 people out of Afghanistan since August 14. Many were Afghans who worked for US forces and the US administration and were under threat of retaliation from the Taliban. That figure included about 2,500 Americans, including diplomatic staff and contractors, who were on the ground when Kabul fell to the Taliban.
A number of flights from Afghanistan have flown into the UAE, before heading on Europe and the US, among other countries.
The US president expressed his “appreciation for the United Arab Emirates’ support for the ongoing evacuation from Afghanistan of US citizens, diplomatic staff from US and partner nations, and vulnerable Afghan nationals”, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi added in a statement.
“The President and Crown Prince underscored that this collaborative effort reflects the enduring partnership between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The two leaders agreed on the priority of working together to address regional and global challenges.”
Shelter for 5,000 Afghan refugees
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation had on Friday said it will temporarily host 5,000 Afghan citizens evacuated from the country following the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban Islamist movement.
“The United Arab Emirates has agreed to host 5000 Afghan nationals evacuated from Afghanistan on their way to third countries. The UAE`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced that, following a request from the United States, it would host the Afghans on a temporary basis, after which time they would travel on to other nations,” the ministry had said.
