May 29th, 2009: H.H Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum on Friday received Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rafa'e Al-Essawi who is leading a delegation on a current visit to the UAE. The meeting discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Iraq as well as ways to further promote them in economic, cultural and humanitarian areas. At the meeting, Sheikh Maktoum expressed hopes that the Al-Essawi's UAE visit would further strengthen relations between the two countries and the two peoples. For his part, Al-Essawi said he was confident that brotherly relations between Iraq and the UAE would see significant develop as desired by the leaderships of both countries.

Present at the meeting were UAE Minister of Economy Sultan Al-Mansouri, Minister of State Reem Al-Hashimi, UAE Ambassador to Iraq Abdullah Al-Shehhi, Governor of Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) Dr Omar Mohammed Sulaiman, CEO of Dubai Holding Ahmed Bin Bayat, Secretary General of Dubai Executive Council Abdullah Al-Shebani and Director of Dubai Ruler's Court Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Shebani.