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UAE Foreign Policy: A Research Study

Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan

President H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Foreign policy of any country reflects its levels of political maturity/understanding, contributory role of visionary leadership, reconciliation willingness of its strategic organs of the state, business/commercial diplomacy and the last not the least peaceful coexistence and UAE is not any exemption. Since, from its independence UAE followed an articulated foreign policy to protect its national interests and wellbeing of its people too. It rigorous foreign policy has made it a just friendly country in the region and most ideal place of investments in the world. Its soft image rating is nun to second.

Foreign policy plays very important role in the socio-economic survival of a country and it is dynamic and does not like or upholds status-que. It is ever changing process which opens unlimited windows of opportunities. Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently thanked to the visionary leaders of UAE who made foreign policy of UAE forward-looking, integrative and comprehensive. It follows latest methods and strategies of diplomacy to secure its national interests and as well as to make several global initiatives. Due to its inclusive foreign policy UAE has become an active player in the GCC/Middle East. He proudly shared that precise foreign policy of UAE has enabled it to contribute healthy and positive role in international affairs.

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah was addressing the first forum of the Heads of diplomatic representations of the United Arab Emirates in the European continent. In his inaugural speech at the forum held at the UAE embassy in Berlin, Sheikh Abdullah conveyed to the participants, the greetings of President H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces. He further said that his Ministry will be arranging a general forum for our ambassadors abroad in the month of Ramadan this year, creating for them the opportunity to meet with senior government officials and interact positively and effectively with them. He said regional Forums would also be held in other parts.

He was of the opinion that “these meetings between the Foreign Ministry and our ambassadors abroad will definitely enrich the work of diplomacy through the exchange of views and ideas for the development of diplomatic and consular missions”. He shed light on the fast developing positive and reconciliatory role of the UAE in the regional and as well as international arena and cited several examples in this regard.

Foreign policy is a continuous process and UAE understands its value and significance. Keeping in view its importance UAE did make diversified efforts to achieve substantial goals in terms of energy security and strengthening of bilateral relations with many regional countries especially with Pakistan. He proudly shared some achievements of UAE in the near past. Last year UAE became successful in hosting the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), adopted the initiative of Friends of Pakistan and hosted a number of meetings of global importance. Moreover, UAE also chaired the economic committee of the friends of Yemen, which held its first meeting in Abu Dhabi. Most recently UAE adopted the initiative for the cooperation between the member countries in the Arab League and the Pacific Small Islands Developing States which will further enhance its role in the region and world alike. It is the visionary leader’s supervision and people friendly policies of its rulers and accurate nonviolent diplomacy strategies of foreign ministry has made UAE a useful and active members of a significant number of international organisations such as the Human Rights Council, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the last not the least Organization of Civil Aviation.

He also projected the peacekeeping role of UAE in and around the world. He cited UAE’s contribution to bring peace in turbulent soil of Afghanistan. UAE is engaging in the reconstruction activities in Afghanistan to make rubbles of it a worth living place. UAE is also actively involved in humanitarian work and coordinating with NATO allied forces to establish peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He stressed the need to have result-oriented foreign policy with more focus on conflict resolution. He disclosed that the Foreign Ministry has designed a new strategy which sets out the important goals and the time-frame for its successful implementation, whereas the ambassadors will play an important role in achieving these strategic goals in the future. He further said that its ministry has also defined a number of countries of major importance and have developed a strategy and action plan for each one of them that will be presented during the forthcoming general forum in UAE.

In his remarkable detailed speech he mentioned and evaluated the emerging socio-politico-economic trends in EU along with media role while dealing with Arab countries, Islam and their issues. He explained that the media distorts the image of Islam, while we all seek to show the world its true face through our civilized form that commensurate with the current reality”.

He also talked about the ongoing global economic recession and financial meltdown which has already produced negative consequences in EU and around the world. The ongoing saga has disturbed socio-economic compulsions and public debts in these countries which has caused large deficits in their budgets and have affected its currency. He quoted the fragility in Greek economy and its multiplier effects on the global economy too.

Concluding Remarks

It is the matter of Palestine-Israel unending conflict or NPT UAE always stands first to show its leadership qualities and high levels of its wise foreign policy. It is the matter of energy security or heritage protection UAE forwards first to present the friendly articulated aspects of its comprehensive foreign policy. It is the crucial issue of environment/climate change or human rights and global charity missions or humanitarian/peacekeeping tasks, UAE always rise above the occasion and ever ready to eradicate the sufferings of struggling people around the globe. Strengthening of bilateral diplomatic relations with Pakistan is the top priority of UAE which is indeed an appreciable deed.

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