UAE Embassy in Lisbon-Bilateral Relationship

UAE and Portugal relationship: Diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Portuguese Republic date back to 1976, at the level of the exchange of diplomatic notes. The diplomatic representation of the United Arab Emirates in Portugal has been dependent on non- resident ambassadors till 2010, with the opening of the United Arab Emirates Embassy officially in Lisbon on 11/03/2010. Saqr Nasser Al Raisi presented his credentials as the first resident ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Portuguese Republic on April 28th, 2010.
The Portuguese Foreign Ministry named the first Portuguese ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, Jaime Leitão, who started his duties in 2011.
The history of the relationship between the two countries dates back hundreds of years, dating back to the period of Portuguese discoveries in the fifteenth century.
Some historical references indicate that Portuguese explorer "Vasco de Gama" had hired the Arab sailor Ahmed bin Majid, whose lineage goes back to the former city of "JULPHAR", Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah today, and benefited from his experience in navigation and astronomy to get to India in 1498 and to the shores of Africa.
The history of the two countries' current relationship dates back to the beginning of the seventies of the last century. Portugal saw the end of the dictatorship of Salazar and worked to liquidate its old colonies so that it could build a new democratic state that was open to the world and had diverse international relations. On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates was a newly established country whose leadership is driven by the desire and determination to build a modern state and extend bonds of friendship with its regional and global environment.
It became the world's attention after the declaration of the Union in 1971 due to its strategic geographical location. The construction of the modern state and the urban and demographic development it has witnessed have contributed to attract the attention of international companies. Dynamic in the UAE's international relations also included the diplomatic level. The 1970s witnessed the establishment of diplomatic relations with several European countries, including Portugal on June 20th, 1976.