Estonian Ambassador to United Arab Emirates Presented Credentials

05.06.2012

No. 157-E

On Monday, 4 June, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia Andre Pung presented his credentials to President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifah Bin Zayad Al Nahyan.

In their discussion following the presenting of credentials, Ambassador Andre Pung and Sheikh Khalifah Bin Zayad Al Nahyan discussed bilateral relations between Estonia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ambassador Andre Pung stated that of all the Persian Gulf countries, Estonia has had the closest relations with the UAE. “We are interested in developing economic co-operation between the countries. Estonian businesses are extremely interested in the Emirates as an important business centre of the region,” said Pung.

The ambassador also noted that Estonia’s national export and investments agency Enterprise Estonia has already organised many small visits to the United Arab Emirates. “We hope that during the next high-level visit a business delegation from the UAE can also come to Estonia,” he added.

During their meeting, Ambassador Pung said that opportunities for co-operation could also be developed in the information and communication technology sector. “Both Estonia and the United Arab Emirates have been progressive in creating and adopting ICT solutions. Therefore we could exchange experiences and find opportunities to create contacts for working together in the ICT sector,” the ambassador stated.

The two also addressed Estonia and the UAE’s co-operation within international organisations and spoke about the possibility of a visa waiver for Estonian citizens.

Ambassador Andre Pung was born on 28 March 1970 in Tartu. He graduated from Tallinn University of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering. Andre Pung has worked in the Foreign Ministry since 1993, when he assumed a position in the ministry’s foreign economic policy department. From 1996-1999 Andre Pung was an economic diplomat at the Estonian Embassy in Riga and from 1999-2001 he was a division director in the Foreign Ministry’s foreign economic policy department. From 2001-2005 he worked as the Estonian consul general in St. Petersburg. From 2006-2010 Andre Pung was the Estonian ambassador to Ireland. Currently Andre Pung is the director general of the Foreign Ministry’s external economic and development co-operation department. The ambassador resides in Tallinn.

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