First Lady meets with Abu Dhabi investment officials, UAE counterpart

MANILA, Philippines — First Lady Liza Marcos visited the United Arab Emirates from June 27 to 29, where she met with officials of a sovereign wealth fund and an energy firm and the wife of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Marcos said she had “insightful discussions” with officials of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, a globally diversified investment institution that invests funds on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government through a “strategy focused on long term value creation.”

“Had a productive meeting with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority – one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world! Thank you for the insightful discussions!” she said in an Instagram post.

The post did not provide specifics about the discussions during the meeting, which was also attended by Rafael Consing Jr., president of the Maharlika Investment Corp.

The First Lady also had a meeting with representatives of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp., which was founded in 2009 and is responsible for implementing the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program.

Marcos also met with Salama bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, wife of the UAE president, and talked about boosting cooperation in different areas.

“The two sides discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between entities in both countries across various fields, especially in culture, arts, and heritage. They also explored ways to enrich the cultural and artistic landscape in both nations, with a particular focus on early childhood development and investment in human capital, which is a priority,” a report by the Emirates News Agency read.

Marcos praised UAE’s “broad cultural and developmental progress” and the Emirati women, who have become key partners in the country’s development and nation-building process, the report added.

Also part of the First Lady’s working visit was a meeting with the Filipino community in Dubai.

“Couldn’t pass up the chance to break bread with our people in Dubai. It was so nice to listen to your success stories. It’s heartwarming,” she said.