His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, attended the swearing-in ceremony of His Excellency Santiago Peña as the new President of the Republic of Paraguay in Asunción on Tuesday. HE Al Zeyoudi conveyed the congratulations of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, who all extended their wishes for the continued prosperity of Paraguay and its people.
In return, President Santiago Peña offered his good wishes to His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and the people of the UAE. He also expressed his appreciation for the participation of the UAE delegation in the ceremony and for the nation’s long-standing friendship with Paraguay.
The presence of HE Dr Thani at the presidential inauguration ceremony reflects deepening economic relations between the two nations. In 2022, bilateral non-oil trade exceeded US$57.3 million, a growth of 53.3 percent compared to 2021 and up more than 122 percent on 2020. Across multiple state visits to Paraguay in recent months, UAE officials have been working closely with President Santiago Peña and his officials to further accelerate the flow of goods during his term.
At an official meeting with President Santiago Peña and HE Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, Paraguay’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Al Zeyoudi commended the strong diplomatic ties between the two nations and underlined the UAE’s commitment to enhancing trade and investment cooperation in areas of mutual interest, in particular renewable energy, mining, banking and food security. The meeting took place in the presence of HE Saeed Abdullah Al Qamzi, UAE Ambassador to the Argentine Republic and Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay.
HE Dr Thani also met Paraguay’s new Minister of Trade, Javier Jiménez, to review the countries’ trade relationship and discuss ways to boost bilateral trade volumes. He also held talks with Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), to advance cooperation on infrastructure investment, knowledge sharing and capacity building, all vital for Paraguay’s long-term, sustainable growth.