emirates7 - Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended a reception on Wednesday hosted by Ridwaan Jadwat, Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Australia to the UAE, to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

The ceremony, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Abu Dhabi, was also attended by Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State; Senator Raff Ciccone, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, and Chairman of the Australia-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group; Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force; and a number of officials, heads of Arab and foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the UAE, and members of the Australian community residing in the country.

In a televised address, Samantha Mostyn, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, praised the fifty-year-long relationship between her country and the UAE, emphasising her country's commitment to developing these relations in all fields.

In his remarks, the Australian Ambassador commended the strong ties between his country and the UAE, stating that Australia is a key partner for the UAE and a prime destination for investment in tourism, healthcare, education, and other sectors. He noted that the UAE is Australia's largest trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa region.