Bernardino León praises Anwar Gargash for his work as head of Emirati diplomacy
The United Arab Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) was named after Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash in honour of the great work carried out by the Emirati diplomat during his career as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Gulf country; a work that has received the full recognition of Bernardino León, Director General of the Academy itself.
The Spanish diplomat Bernardino León, Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), stressed that Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, new diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, is not only a pioneer of UAE political work and international relations, but also an inspiration to the Academy and its Emirati students, as he has made immeasurable diplomatic contributions to this nation and has brought about astonishing transformations in the Arab nation's foreign policy arena.
"On behalf of our renowned Academy, it is an honour for me to express how delighted we are that our entity is changing the name of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) to the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), in honour of Emirati diplomat and outgoing Minister of State Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash," said Dr. Gargash. Anwar Mohamed Gargash, as announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces," said Bernardino León, as reported by the official Emirati news agency WAM.
Mariam Ibrahim al-Mahmoud, deputy director general of AGDA expressed her satisfaction with the new name of the Academy: "I am very happy that our eminent diplomatic academy has been renamed the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), in recognition of Dr Gargash, who served as minister of state for foreign affairs and international cooperation since 2008 and performed outstanding efforts and services for our great nation".
She added that Anwar Gargash's pioneering diplomatic efforts, both regionally and internationally, will now be forever embedded within the Academy as it continues its mission to groom the nation's future diplomats. "I believe there is now an additional incentive for aspiring Emirati diplomats to apply for admission to the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, which recently launched the 'Golden Jubilee Diplomats' campaign to attract new students in its Postgraduate Programme in International Relations and Diplomacy," added AGDA's deputy director general, as reported by MENA FN.
In the presence of Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the swearing-in took place in mid-week in the presence of the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Shakhbut bin Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan and Khalifa Shaheen al-Marar were sworn in as the UAE's two new Ministers of State attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, replacing Anwar Gargash.
"In the presence of Mohammed bin Zayed, we announce a minor cabinet reshuffle, as part of which Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan and Khalifa Shaheen al-Marar have been appointed as ministers of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation," said Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum himself.
With this political move, one of the key figures of recent times in Emirati diplomacy, Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, has left the ministry and moved to the role of diplomatic adviser to the UAE president. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh has also changed his role to serve as cultural adviser to the President of the Gulf state, as confirmed by Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum himself.
In recognition of the great work done in diplomacy and representing the UAE in the Middle East region and around the world, dealing with complicated issues such as the regional threat from Iran and Turkey's political interference in other nearby nations, Mohammed bin Rashid thanked Anwar Gargash and Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh for their services, including by awarding them the Order of the Union on behalf of the nation's president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed.
"President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan awarded Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash with the Order of the Union in recognition of his role in bringing about important transformations in our foreign policy and achieving effective relations with countries in the region and around the world. Dr. Anwar Gargash will continue to serve the nation and will always be held in high esteem for his services," assured the UAE Vice President and Prime Minister. "We also honour Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh with the Order of the Union, on behalf of the UAE President, for his commendable efforts in serving the nation in cultural and diplomatic functions," he added, in remarks carried by the official Emirati news agency WAM. As a tribute to Anwar Gargash's work, the Emirates Diplomatic Academy was named after him.
