President Aleksandar Vucic receives UAE Minister for Youth Sultan Saif Al Neyadi

Photo: Tanjug/Amir Hamzagic

President Aleksandar Vucic met today in Belgrade with UAE Minister for Youth Affairs Sultan Saif Al Neyadi, the first Arab astronaut, and pointed out that Serbia plans to emulate the UAE in this regard as well.

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"Thank you for your friendship. We will have to look up tp you, to have Serbs who will go into space and walk around in space. It will take years for us to do that, but we will progress with your help and support," Vucic said in a conversation with his guest.

Vucic invited Al Neyadi to feel at home in Belgrade, while the UAE thanked Vucic for his hospitality and a warm welcome.

"I met with the ministers of youth and culture in the Government of Serbia, and so far, it has been incredible," said Al Neyadi.

Vucic asked the UAE minister to convey his warm greetings to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and tell him that we expect him in Serbia as soon as possible.

Al Neyadi said he would do so, and also noted added that the situation in the Middle East is calming down.

Sultan Al Neyadi is one of the first two Arab astronauts from the United Arab Emirates, along with Hazzaa Al Mansoori.

Al Neyadi made history in March 2023 when he became the first Arab onboard the International Space Station (ISS), during a six-month mission as part of Expedition 69, and the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk on April 28, 2023.

He spent a total of 185 days, 22 hours and 43 minutes in space.

In preparation for the ISS mission, Al Neyadi underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, based on an agreement with Roscosmos, as well as additional training in Houston, Texas, and Cologne, Germany, as part of partnership agreements with major space agencies, including NASA, ESA, and JAXA.

The UAE Astronaut Program is one of the projects managed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, funded by the ICT Fund which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country's integration on the global stage.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)