Abdullah bin Zayed hosts official reception in New York

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, hosted an official ceremony on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York.

A number of heads of governments, GCC, Arab and foreign ministers, top international and United States, US, officials and members of the Emirati delegation participating in the UNGA, attended the event.

The reception included a number of events that reflected the history and civilisation of the UAE.

In a speech on behalf of Sheikh Abdullah, on the occasion of the centennial of the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, dedicated the audience copies of the book "For the People of this Planet: Zayed – A Legacy in Sustainable Development".

''100 years ago, our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed was born and lived in a society that lacked the amenities that we are enjoying today. There were no modern schools or infrastructure facilities along the Arabian coast, though Sheikh Zayed emerged as one of the great leaders and generous donors as well as a symbol for charity and self-denial in the world for more than 30 years. His development assistance reached peoples in more than 100 countries, touching over 100 million lives across the world,'' Dr. Al-Zeyoudi said.

''Sheikh Zayed's contribution has made a historic transformation in the UAE and different parts of the developing world in delivering sustainable development in a number of the world's most poor regions,'' he added.

The minister reviewed Sheikh Zayed's landmark achievements in his lifetime and his breakthrough contributions in the 1980s when he encouraged the use and deployment of solar panels technology in developing water pumps to help developing countries achieve agricultural development and combat famine.

The book tells of experiments and success stories of Sheikh Zayed as an exceptional, far-sighted leader, an astute statesman and a generous donor who understood self-denial.