On October 7, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov arrived in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, where he met with the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Social Development of the UAE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, and the heads of Abu Dhabi University.

The parties discussed the development of chess in the world and have agreed to hold chess tournaments in the Emirates. Thereafter, a business dinner took place in the Sheikh Palace, which was attended by the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Jordan Taher al-Masri.