KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has left for Abu Dhabi of United Arab Emirates for an official visit this afternoon at the cordial invitation of UAE's Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and UAE's Armed Forces' deputy supreme commander, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and high-level officials were at VVIP longue of at Tribhuvan International Airport to see off President Bhandari.

A contingent of Nepali Army offered 21-gun salute to President Bhandari on the occasion.

Nepal and UAE had established diplomatic relations on January 22, 1977. President Bhandari is scheduled to return home on November 30.