Honoured Prime Minister, Mr. Albin Kurti,
Very honoured guests of the Republic of Kosovo,
Your Excellency, Chairman of the Department of Health in the United Arab Emirates, Abdulla Bin Mohamed Bin Butti Al Hamed
Honoured Minister of State, Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi,
Honoured Minister, Mr. Arben Vitia,
Honoured former President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms. Atifete Jahjaga,
Honoured former President Pacolli,
Former Ministers of Health,
Very honoured representatives of our health system,
Doctors and you honoured participants,
Welcome on behalf of all the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo to the entire delegation from the United Arab Emirates,
Your Excellency, Abdulla Bin Mohamed Bin Butti Al Hamed, I would like to address you and your delegation once again, to whom, together with our friends, and now with your friends, I wish a cordial welcome in the Republic of Kosovo.
In March 2016, here, in this place, the cornerstone of this hospital was laid, and on the same day, the friendship between the Republic of Kosovo and the United Arab Emirates was sealed in the most symbolic and significant form. For this, we are always grateful and thankful to you!
But you enjoy the recognition and gratitude of the people of Kosovo from the day you joined the countries that recognized the legitimate right of our people to self-determination – our right to be a free and independent state.
This action of yours in 2008 became even more significant 8 years later when you decided to donate our country the Pediatric-Surgical Hospital, at that time with the initiative of our President, Ms. Jahjaga and with the unprecedented support of all the institutions of the United Arab Emirates.
In that year, you decided to give support to our new Republic in this field of medicine, ranking Kosovo near countries that will have the opportunity to provide the best services and provide the best treatments in this field and enabling many families, as well as those in need – our little ones, to feel comfortable and sleep calmly – because, finally, they will be able to healed and treated in their own country with the highest quality.
This Hospital is without doubt one of the most modern buildings with the most sophisticated services for children. With a capacity of 100 beds, Kosovo will finally be able to provide intensive care, laboratory and diagnostic services, operating room and many other modern services with the latest technology. So, finally, the address for the cure and treatment of our children, will not be the countries of the region or even more distant places – the address for the treatment and healing of our children will be our home.
But this is not just a building and we can not see it only as another Hospital. On the contrary, this is the product of a several years of work, of a human dedication, which will always remain the most special symbol of our friendship which I hope will prosper and become more and more powerful.
We will work hard so that this hospital, and Her Excellency Sheikha Fatima bin Mubarak, whose name this hospital bears, will be synonymous with the continuous commitment to humanity, for overall well-being and a reference point for professionalism and human dedication – where everyone will feel welcome and where our little ones will be filled with hope, from where they will leave in better health.
Honoured friends from the United Arab Emirates,
Honoured participants,
When we started working as new institutions, one thing was clear: our future will only be better when we work hard and invest in the development of our human capital. And this commitment is first and foremost possible only when our children, the citizens of this country, enjoy full health. This hospital and the services that will be provided in it are an extraordinary contribution to the fulfillment of this mission. From today our entire country breathes easier and as if a burden is weighing less, because now the services in the field of pediatrics and surgery will be provided in even higher quality because of this hospital.
But we are convinced that the cooperation with the United Arab Emirates does not end there. In fact, this is just the beginning and an extremely beautiful beginning. When two allies have a clear and common vision, and believe in essentially the same values which are closely linked to improving the well-being of citizens, there is and will always be additional room for cooperation. And we will work hard and intensively to deepen this cooperation in the field of economic relations and the promotion of new investments, as well as the further development of interpersonal relations. I wish this hospital to be the first investment in the series of numerous investments in the coming years, and to be a good omen for the intensification of our bilateral cooperation.
Once again, thank you heartfully to all our allies from the United Arab Emirates!
Thank you to all those who directly facilitated and influenced the realization of this investment!
Thank you former President Jahjaga and all those who supported this investment and above all thank you Sheikha Fatima who sympathized with all the children of the Republic of Kosovo, their parents, the doctors, medical technicians who had the need, more than anyone else, to have this hospital.
Thank you to all the local staff and all those who worked on the construction of this Hospital!
As you were there to guarantee the commencement of the first steps of this project, we will now be here to work hard to make the Hospital a reference address for treatment and recovery not only in Kosovo but also beyond.
In the words of Her Excellency Sheikha Fatima bin Mubarak I quote: ‘Our youth are our true and eternal wealth, they are the pillar on which our renaissance stands, the axis of our development, as well as the leaders of the future’. These are our children. Let us make sure that health serves them in every step of their lives, and this Hospital will undoubtedly be a great contributor in this regard.
Thank you!