A screengrab from the video of Roberto Felicetti thanking UAE.

Gulf Today Report

Italian designer Roberto Felicetti painted the UAE flag in appreciation of the country’s support towards Italy.

Roberto acknowledged the UAE government and the Emiratis for the ‘beautiful gesture’ towards Italy.

“I wish I had an Emirati flag, to thank Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed and the Emirati people for the beautiful gesture towards Italy, but because of the lockdown I decided to draw the Emirati flag at home.”

The UAE sent 10 tonnes of medical supplies to Italy to help medics tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The shipment will help to support more than 10,000 doctors and nurses, the UAE government said.

Italy is one of the worst affected countries worldwide.

It had recorded 128,000 confirmed cases and more than 15,000 deaths as of Monday, according to the latest figures. About 21,000 people have recovered from the virus.

Medical aid such as masks, gloves and protective suits are crucial to ensure medics on the front line do not become casualties.

"Thanks to my colleague Abdullah Bin Zayed for the friendship and solidarity shown," Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio wrote on Twitter.

"A gesture that we will not forget."

Omar Al Shamsi, UAE ambassador to Italy, said Italy was thankful for the shipment, which arrived in the early hours of Monday morning.

On Sunday, the UAE sent an aid flight to Pakistan carrying 11 tonnes of protective equipment for medical staff.

It included 20,000 Covid-19 test kits, 500,000 gloves, 30,000 protective gowns and face masks and 10,000 sanitisers.

Pakistan recorded 2,899 cases of Covid-19, with the death toll at 45 and with 208 recovered patients, as of Sunday.