PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hjayceelyn M. Quintana has received the UAE Medal of Independence of the First Order, the highest award given to foreign diplomats in the Middle Eastern country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the DFA said UAE President Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded Ms. Quintana the prestigious prize on Dec. 21 for her efforts to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
“My primary goal in bringing our two countries closer is for the two sides to discover the intrinsic value of collaborating towards a shared goal, a better life for the next generation of Filipinos and Emiratis alike,” Ms. Quintana was quoted in the statement.
“I thank the leadership of the UAE for sharing this vision, shown in the support they have given and through this recognition.”
Ms. Quintana participated at the World Expo in Dubai last year, during which the Philippines signed a commitment to enter into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE.
During her four-year term as ambassador, she signed several bilateral agreements on consular cooperation, agriculture and space cooperation.
Ms. Quintana also facilitated bilateral meetings on combatting human trafficking and the resumption of deployment of Filipino domestic workers to the UAE.
In 2020, the UAE was the Philippines’ 23rd largest partner in terms of two-way trade, the 21st largest export market and the 26th largest source of imports, according to the Department of Trade and Industry. — John Victor D. Ordoñez