
UAE, Ecuador presidents discuss trade, regional issues in Abu Dhabi
Noboa, who won reelection earlier this month, reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening ties with the UAE.
The discussions focused on cooperation on trade, renewable energy, sustainability, investment, tourism and agriculture, the Emirates News Agency reported.
The two sides emphasized the importance of leveraging opportunities for mutual growth and shared views on regional and international issues to ensure stability and prosperity, the report said.
Sheikh Mohamed said the UAE-Ecuador relationship aimed to enhance economic growth and that Abu Dhabi was eager to strengthen its economic partnerships with Latin American countries.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
23 minutes ago
- Arab News
UAE air traffic climbs 6.2% as airports handle 75.4m passengers in H1
ABU DHABI: The UAE's civil aviation sector posted robust growth in the first half of 2025, with passenger traffic climbing 5 percent to 75.4 million, up from 71.7 million a year earlier, according to the Emirates News Agency or WAM. January was the busiest month, handling more than 13.7 million travelers across the nation's airports. The surge in passenger and cargo activity reflects a broader global rebound in aviation, as Middle Eastern carriers leverage their strategic location to capture long-haul transit traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Air traffic movements increased 6.2 percent to 531,000 operations in the first six months, compared to nearly 500,000 in the same period of 2024. Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Mumbai, and Bahrain ranked among the top five most active routes. Cargo volumes also strengthened, rising 4.74 percent to more than 2.2 million tonnes. National carriers handled 67 percent of total freight, underscoring the UAE's dominance in regional logistics. The expansion of UAE-based airlines — with 15 new destinations launched across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East — further fueled the sector's momentum. Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, minister of economy and chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said the UAE is reinforcing its international and regional aviation standing through 'record-breaking growth.' 'This growth stems from innovative national strategies that have elevated our competitiveness and leadership in a vital sector that now plays a central role in economic development, trade, tourism, investment, and job creation across aviation-linked industries,' Al-Marri said, reported WAM. He added: 'The performance indicators for the first half of 2025 demonstrate the sector's resilience and sustainability, as well as the competitiveness of our airports, national carriers, and air traffic management. Aviation serves as a critical bridge connecting the UAE to the world and is a key enabler of our long-term economic goals.' Al-Marri noted that the UAE would continue expanding its air connectivity through advanced legislation, open-market policies, and infrastructure development. Saif Mohammed Al-Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said the aviation sector is on a steady growth trajectory. 'These positive indicators reflect the sector's strong infrastructure and the unified efforts of all partners, from airport operators and airlines to air traffic controllers,' Al-Suwaidi said. He expressed pride in the consistent growth in passenger and cargo volumes, citing ambitious development projects aimed at supporting this expansion. The current combined capacity of the UAE's airports now exceeds 160 million passengers annually. Al-Suwaidi reaffirmed confidence in the sector's ability to sustain its pivotal role in boosting the national economy, driving tourism and trade, and strengthening the UAE's role as a key regional and global air transport hub. The new routes include cities in Russia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, as well as Armenia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, and Cambodia, among others. These additions complement the existing network, bolstering the country's status as a global aviation hub.


Arab News
4 days ago
- Arab News
UAE sends 200 trucks via Egypt to aid Palestinians in Gaza
LONDON: The UAE has sent more than 200 aid trucks in the past two weeks to assist Palestinians in the coastal enclave of Gaza who are suffering from hunger and starvation due to the ongoing war. Ten UAE aid convoys have entered the Gaza Strip via Egypt's Rafah Crossing since late July as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 to support Palestinians, the Emirates News Agency has reported. The convoys include 214 trucks transporting over 4,565 tonnes of humanitarian aid, food supplies, equipment, and pipes for desalination plants, the WAM added. An Emirati team in the Egyptian port town of Al-Arish oversaw the loading and transportation of aid through the Rafah Crossing. It was earmarked for families and individuals in the Gaza Strip. The UAE's humanitarian efforts in Gaza reflect its commitment to support the Palestinian people, a statement said. Emirati humanitarian teams are intensifying relief operations to assist Palestinians in Gaza, helping to alleviate suffering while providing necessities to vulnerable groups, the WAM added. The UN — alongside several human rights organizations — has warned of mass starvation in Gaza as about 2 million Palestinians have endured almost two years of attacks from Israeli forces and the blocking of sufficient supplies from entering the territory. The Israeli security cabinet on Friday approved plans for further military operations in Gaza, igniting global outrage.


Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Trump raises bounty for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has doubled its reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro from $25 million (€21.4 million) to $50 million (€42.9 million), accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' said Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in a federal court in Manhattan in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several of his close allies. They were charged with charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. The former Trump administration at the time set a reward of $15 million (€12.9 million) for his arrest, which was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million – the same amount Washington offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the 11 September attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains in power after defying the US, the European Union and several Latin American countries who viewed his 2024 re-election as a sham, and recognised his opponent, Edmundo González, as Venezuela's duly elected president. In July, the Trump administration struck a deal with Venezuelan officials to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting scores of migrants deported by the US to El Salvador. Shortly after, the US reversed an earlier ban on US energy giant Chevron to resume drilling Venezuela after it was previously blocked by US sanctions. Bondi says the US Justice Department has seized more than $700 million (€600 million) in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets and close to 7 tonnes of cocaine, which was traced directly to the Venezuelan leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement calling the reward 'pathetic' and accused Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a non-existent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favours,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after she reversed a promise to release more evidence on the Epstein case. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery,' added the top Venezuelan diplomat. — Euronews