Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Pinarayi Vijayan hold talks in Dubai. File / WAM

Chief Minister of South Indian State of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has expressed full appreciation about the work being done by the UAE government in protecting expatriates from his state living in the UAE.

The government of Kerala has asked Keralite community organisations in the UAE to coordinate their efforts with the UAE agencies to provide relief to the victims in the face of the mayhem unleashed by the new coronavirus, COVID-19, he said in a statement issued to WAM on Monday.

There could be some hardships due to restrictions on people’s movement just as in India, but the need of the hour is to adhere to the protocols envisaged by the authorities, the chief minister pointed out.

"We have also looped the government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the representations received from our expatriates in the UAE. I am sure the government of India would be talking to the UAE government through the Indian embassy and the consulate general in the UAE on all matters concerning the expatriates," Vijayan noted.

"The relations between Kerala and the UAE go back many decades centuries, if we consider the trading relations between Kerala and the Arabian Peninsula. We can never forget the care and concern shown to us by the UAE’s wise leadership and people during the floods in Kerala," he reminisced.

"In fact, we remember with gratitude seeing a tweet in Malayalam [language of Kerala] by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, exhorting all to support us in our dire situation. We also gratefully remember the UAE’s generous offer of help during the floods," the chief minister emphasised.

"We are all together in this fight against a deadly virus that is wreaking havoc across the world. We are sure the UAE and its able and efficient leadership is doing its best to protect the people living in its blessed soil – citizens, residents and visitors," he stressed.

"While I wish Emirati brothers and sisters a speedy triumph over the virus, we reiterate our utmost regard and respect for the UAE and its leadership and people. Our warm and fraternal bonds have always been symbiotic and will remain so for ages to come," the chief minister concluded.

WAM