Meshaal Mahmood Al Ali and his grandfather arrive at the Cancun airport in Mexico.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in coordination with its Operation Center and competent authorities, closely and intently followed the repatriation of the Emirati 9-year-old Meshaal Mahmood Al Ali.

Meshaal had travelled to the United States with his grandfather to meet his uncle for the first time and attend his wedding in a coastal area at a 19-hour drive from Mexico City. His parents had planned to join him four days later, but the suspension of all flights to and from the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them doing so.

Meshaal clears the immigration at a London airport.

Meshaal's parents registered their child in MoFAIC’s Tawajudi, a service dedicated to UAE nationals through the Ministry’s website, and contacted the Ministry and the UAE Embassy in Mexico City to find the best solution to repatriate their son to the UAE.

Concerted efforts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and UAE embassies in the United Mexican States, Canada and the United Kingdom enabled Meshaal to join his family in the UAE after 48-hour journey.

The journey began from airport-less coastal area and 300km drive to Cancun to catch a two-hour flight to Mexico City. Meshaal transited through Canada and then through the UK to Dubai to finally be reunited with his parents.

Meshaal hugs his father after arriving home.

The boy's father, Mahmood Mohammed Al Ali, hailed the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and said: "In these times, we are going through compelling circumstances beyond our control. The Ministry and UAE embassies are doing an outstanding job in overcoming all challenges and finding the best ways to facilitate procedures for the return Emiratis to the homeland."

He expressed his happiness and voiced his gratitude to the team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and representatives of UAE missions who handled such difficult situation and for continuously checking in on him and ensuring that his son returned home safely.