Vucic hosts UAE president in Belgrade

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hosted UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on a working visit to Serbia on Thursday, the presidential press office said in a statement.

"A friendship that is built over a long period of time and with patience and sincerity has steady foundations in loyalty, mutual respect and trust," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account before welcoming bin Zayed at the Belgrade airport.

"Serbia has such a friend, who I am welcoming today with pride and great gratitude," Vucic added, noting that the president of the UAE was one of the world's greatest leaders and a "man who has demonstrated his attitude towards Serbia and our citizens in action in the toughest of times."

"It is with such a friend that we want to share a future in which we will achieve the vision of success and progress that we are fighting for. Welcome, dear friend," Vucic posted.

In a post made after a meeting with Al Nahyan, Vucic wrote that his discussions with the sheikh had addressed expansion of economic cooperation, new investment opportunities and boosting air transport links, as well as concrete projects in tourism, infrastructure and energy.

"We also devoted special attention to the upcoming EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, because it is our opportunity to show what Serbia is really like - modern and dynamic, a country of great ideas, young talent and new technologies. Belgrade will be much more than a host of an event in 2027 - it will be the host of a vision of the future."

He added that he had visited with Al Nahyan the site of Belgrade Waterfront, which he noted was the "largest and the most significant joint project."

"I believe that we will soon be witnessing large new joint undertakings that will contribute to Serbia's economic development," Vucic posted.