His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, has bestowed the National Order of Merit (Ordre national du Mérite), Knight (Chevalier) rank, upon Major General Staff Awad Saeed bin Musleh Al Ahbabi, Commander of Joint Operations, in recognition of his distinguished contributions and leadership efforts in strengthening and advancing military and defence cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the friendly French Republic.
The decoration was presented during an official ceremony held in Paris by Lieutenant General Jean-Michel Monnier, Deputy Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces for Operations, to the Commander of Joint Operations in the presence of a number of senior commanders, officers and officials from both sides.
The distinction reflects the depth of the relations and the advanced level of military and defence cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the French Republic. It also underscores longstanding strategic partnership, the close and sustained coordination, and the exchange of expertise and knowledge, and growing cooperation between the two countries, in support of security and stability and in furtherance of their shared interests.
