Undersecretary Amendola is on a diplomatic mission to the UAE to attend the first regional meeting on the Heads of Mission in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Mission to the United Arab Emirates for Vincenzo Amendola, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who from today is in Abu Dhabi to attend the first area meeting of the Heads of Mission in the Countries that belong to the Gulf Cooperation Council – GCC ( Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, Qatar and Kuwait). The meeting was attended also by the Italian Consuls to Dubai and Jedda. The aim of the two-day meeting is the definition of an integrated strategy to support Italy’s presence in the GCC Countries from the political and economic standpoint and for cultural and scientific promotion. Undersecretary Amendola and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Emirates, Anwar Mohammed Gargash, had a bilateral meeting ahead of today’s session, which was dedicated to political themes. The discussion focused mainly on the crisis that involves Qatar and some of the GCC Member Countries as well as Egypt. Subsequently, Minister of State Gargash gave a speech at the opening session of the Meeting in the presence of the Italian Ambassadors. The second morning panel was attended by the Minister of State for Happiness, Ohud al Roumi, who presented the “National Programme for Happiness and Positivity”, launched last year by the UAE authorities. The working sessions continued at the Italian Embassy with an in-depth analysis of Italy’s position in the GCC Countries and of the potential impact of the current crisis. The possible consequences on other regional crises (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya) were also examined. In the afternoon, in video-conference, Foreign Affairs Minister, Angelino Alfano, stressed the importance of the meeting, confirming support for a negotiated solution of the current Gulf crisis and for the mediation efforts by the Emir of Kuwait. A support that Minister Alfano has expressed in his frequent contacts with the main players in the Region. The area meeting will continue tomorrow with a rich session devoted to economic and commercial issues, to the promotion of made-in-Italy products and to the strategic positioning of brand Italy in the Gulf Countries.