President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, received H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on Wednesday in New York, on the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to the Afghan President and his good wishes to Afghanistan and its people for further progress and prosperity.

President Ghani reciprocated greetings to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, stressing his country's keenness to strengthen its relations with UAE.

During the meeting, they discussed ways of developing and strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries in various economic, developmental and social fields to achieve the aspirations of the two countries and their peoples.

They also exchanged views on a number of regional issues of common interest on the UN meeting agenda.

The Afghan President expressed his country's thanks and appreciation to the UAE government and people for their generous efforts and contributions to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, supporting the development of its sectors in the fields of health care, education and the establishment of the infrastructure of the Afghan society as well as its efforts to support Afghanistan in addressing violence, extremism and terrorism.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed the UAE's keenness to support the Republic of Afghanistan and its friendly people and to promote bilateral relations to serve the common interests and develop cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

The meeting was attended by Faris Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Advisor to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.