The ambassador of the United Arab Emirates strengthens ties with Andalusia

The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Spain, Majid al-Suwaidi, has arrived in Andalusia with the aim of strengthening relations with the Autonomous Community. The Emirati diplomat began his trip in Cordoba, where he visited monuments from the Al-Andalus period with great historical importance, such as the ruins of Medina Azahara and the city's Mosque-Cathedral.

Al-Suwaidi began his official visit by admiring the remains of the ancient Arab city, Medina Azahara, built by Abd-al Rahman III, the first Umayyad caliph of Córdoba. The ruins are located 8 kilometres from the city, in a privileged enclave at the foot of the Sierra Morena mountain range. Medina Azahara was also declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2018.

The Emirati representative in Spain toured the archaeological site together with Rosario Alarcón, Director General of Andalucía Global, and Remedios Molina, Director of the Cordoba Tourist Office. He also immortalised the visit by taking numerous photos of the famous arches of the city of Abd-al Rahman III.

Afterwards, Al-Suwaidi went to the Gardens of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, in the centre of the city, to enjoy an equestrian exhibition. The ambassador was able to see the skill and agility of the Arabian horses of Spain in this competition organised by the AECCA (Spanish Association of Arabian Horse Breeders). Al-Suwaidi also presented the prize to the champion of champions and met José Enrique Millo, Secretary General for External Action of the Andalusian Regional Government.

To end the day, the ambassador visited the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, a unique monument that combines Islamic architectural elements with aspects of the Renaissance and Baroque styles. It is a place where both religions come together to showcase the cultural wealth of this region. The temple, which has been enlarged several times throughout history, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984. Al-Suwaidi, after touring the entire Mosque-Cathedral, took the opportunity to have a conversation with the dean.

The Ambassador will visit the Cordoba Science and Technology Park today, where he will meet the Mayor of Cordoba, José María Bellido; the President of the Cordoba Confederation of Businessmen (CECO), Antonio Díaz; and the delegate of the Rector of the University of Cordoba for International Projection, María del Mar Delgado. He will also meet with the heads of some local companies and visit the city's University.

He will then travel to Seville to continue his official visit to the Community. In the Andalusian capital, he will walk around the Real Alcázar and visit the Fundación Tres Culturas.

Majid al-Suwaidi graduated in the field of geosciences from Brunel University in the UK. After completing his undergraduate degree, he continued in the country and completed a master's degree in geology and earth sciences at Simon Fraser University. Al-Suwaidi held various academic positions at Simon Fraser University until he started working as a technical geologist for several international companies such as ExxonMobil and ZADCO.

His career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates began in 2012. The current ambassador specialised in the areas of sustainability and climate change, which is why he became his country's chief negotiator at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In recent years, the UAE has pushed for measures and reforms aimed at a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future. Also, despite being a major oil exporter, Abu Dhabi has diversified its economy by stimulating other sectors to reduce its dependence on crude oil in order to achieve environmental goals.