THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is pinning hopes on strengthening tie-ups with UAE, especially Sharjah, with the five day visit of UAE Supreme Council member and Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammed Al Qasimi to the state from September 24. As a prelude to the arrangements for the visit, UAE Ambassador to India Ahmed Albanna and UAE consul general in Thiruvananthapuram Jamal Husein Rahma Husein al Zaabi called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and held discussions. Mr Al Qasimi will be reaching the capital on Sunday. On Monday he will have a meeting with Governor P. Sathasivam at Raj Bhavan, followed by a meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, all ministers and senior officials.
The Calicut University will confer a honorary doctorate to Mr Al Qasimi at the function to be held at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday. In the evening he will be delivering a lecture at a function in the city. Mr Al Qasimi will have a meeting with industry leaders in Kochi on September 27. He will return to Sharjah from the capital on September 28. Sources said that it could be for the first time that a ruler of Sharjah is coming down to the state.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had personally invited him during his visit to Sharjah last December. The Chief Minister said in a statement that there were many sectors in which Kerala and Sharjah could move ahead together. Sources said that the state was expecting to strengthen tie-ups in sectors like trade, toursim, educations and welfare as well as ensuring welfare of NRKs in UAE with the visit of the UAE Supreme Council member.
