Skopje, 26 November 2024 (MIA) – Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski, who is on working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior from November 24 to 27, signed two memorandums of understandings in Abu Dhabi during an official meeting with Interior Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The memorandums cover security cooperation and fight against terrorism, as well as mutual recognition and replacement of driving licences between the two countries.

“In an effort to ease the movement of citizens holding driving licences issued by the relevant authorities of both countries during their visit or stay in either country, there will no longer be a need to replace driving licences. This means both sides will exempt applicants from theoretical and practical tests, as well as the requirements to take exams in the other country for categories A, B and BE. For over a thousand Macedonian citizens living in the UAE, this will result in significant cost savings. The memorandum of understanding on security cooperation and the fight against terrorism creates great potential for collaboration in swiftly exchanging information and preventing crimes ranging from terrorism, organised crime, and corruption to human and migrant trafficking, Minister Toshkovski said during the meeting,” Ministry of Interior said in a press release.

At the meeting, Toshkovski suggested the possibility of lifting visa requirements for Macedonian citizens to the UAE, aiming to strengthen tourism, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

The Ministry of Interior delegation also visited the UAE Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Happiness, Department of Innovation, and Directorate of Operations, where they were briefed on their operations and the innovative solutions they have implemented, focused primarily on meeting citizens' needs and ensuring satisfaction with the services provided by the Ministry.

This is the first official visit at the level of Interior Ministers since the country’s independence, aimed at advancing bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism and rapid exchange of information in the areas of combating corruption, organised crime and human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

Photo: Interior Ministry