Abdullah bin Zayed visits Colombian city of Cartagena

CARTAGENA, Colombia, 12th February, 2016 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, yesterday visited the Colombian city of Cartagena, accompanied by the Head of Cartagena Municipality, within the framework of his official visit to Colombia. Sheikh Abdullah's tour included the historic old town and the port of Cartagena, which is one of the most important ports in Latin American countries. The Head of the Municipality also accompanied Sheikh Abdullah on a cruise in the harbour, where he was given a detailed explanation about the importance of the port and its functions, specifications and work mechanism that follow the latest modern technologies in port management. At the centre of Cartagena de India’s is the Walled City, the historic centre enclosed by ancient walls which is the soul of the city that inspired Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. A number of festivals devoted to film and classical music are held there and the site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Cartagena was a key link in the Spanish route between America and Europe and the city proclaimed its independence in 1811 after 278 years of Spanish domination. The Cartagena Port, at the Cruise ship terminal, receives nearly 570,000 passengers every year. The port is less than four miles away from the main shopping areas of the city and in high season, about 200 cruise ships dock there. The Cargo Terminal received 2,211,471 TEUs, 2,474 port calls and 21,276,157 tons in 2014. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395291464604.html