Thursday, May 2o, 2010:

And ...

Madame Ambassador Hissa Abdulla Ahmed al - Otaiba...

... becomes the first United Arab Emirates' envoy to the Vatican!



From Inside The Vatican magazine. June - July 2010.


"Welcoming Hissa Abdulla Ahmed al - Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates' first ambassador to the Holy See, Benedict XVI underlined the Church's role in promoting peace and human rights.

"He also praised the Emirates' efforts in protecting the religious freedom of the hundreds of thousands of foreign workers who live within its borders and its policy of allowing the building of churches on donated land.

"The Vatican and the United Arab Emirates, a federal union made up of seven states, established full diplomatic relations in 2007.

"While the seven emirates recognize Islam as the state religion, freedom of worship is guaranteed.

"There are seven Catholic churches in the country and members of religious orders staff several private schools..."