MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, wife of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, as special envoy to the United Arab Emirates.

Pimentel took her oath of office before the President on Tuesday, June 4.

“My mission is to help in the strengthening of our investment and trade relationship with the UAE,” she said in a press release sent by her office.

Her office said Pimentel “has been active in various international [fora] on investment and economic cooperation” hosted by the UAE, taking part in the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference and the 2024 World Government Summit.

She formally assumed the post on the same day that UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid a courtesy call on President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos in Malacañang.

“We have built a very close relationship with the UAE. And we hope that we will continue in that pattern and continue to make it better,” the President said during Tuesday’s meeting.

“I would say our relationship is growing, but not enough. We could do much better. We could do much better because I think we have an interest to further enhance it but also the Philippines has shown that it’s been welcoming investors, would like to do more trade and we are on the path to finalize – with the Philippines,” Al Nahyan added.

There are about 1 million Filipinos in the UAE, making them the third largest expatriate group in the Middle East country, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Manila and Abu Dhabi will mark the 50th year of their diplomatic ties in August. – Rappler.com