The President of the United Arab Emirates, the most influential leader with a realistic and peaceful diplomatic policy
The Wall Street Journal, one of the most prestigious American newspapers, highlighted the leading role played by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, considering him the most influential leader in the Middle East, in a classification that did not come out of the vacuum and at the same time, reflects the success of Sheikh Mohamed’s strategy. The newspaper also highlighted quiet policies that focused on strengthening regional and international security and stability, sustainable development, investing in local resources, and benefiting from broad partnerships with international actors.
Sheikh Mohamed’s comprehensive approach revealed a forward-looking vision that led the UAE to take early action to adapt to geopolitical and economic changes, as well as its global leadership in the humanitarian field, which transcended regional borders to more than one region of the world.
The US newspaper pointed out in an extensive report how the UAE president maintained balanced relations with all parties, making the UAE a friend to all. This is required to help dismantle regional and international crises, and at the same time confirms the validity of Sheikh Mohamed’s strategy and the correctness of quiet diplomacy, which he used as the basis for a strategy that goes far in establishing the pillars of security and stability.
It noted that this policy was manifested in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as in a test of relations with the United States, a strategic ally of the Gulf, and how the equation in this relationship turned into parity and strengthened the interests of the UAE with greater openness to international actors such as China, in the context of diversifying partners and getting rid of any dependence on the fluctuations of American policies with successive administrations.
Sheikh Mohamed and the UAE emerged as the winners in terms of realigning geopolitical relations and his strategy of engaging with everyone tested relations with the United States, the country’s largest ally, the Wall Street Journal said.
Sheikh Mohamed “does not see the UAE’s close relationship with the United States as an obstacle to relations with Moscow or Beijing, but rather that such relations can help Washington,” UAE officials were quoted as saying.
Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the UAE president, said in a statement to the US newspaper, “We will not allow the state of competition between the great powers to determine our orientations and positions.”
“The UAE has helped resolve several issues, benefiting from close relationships with international partners such as Russia and China.” The US newspaper recalled Sheik Mohamed’s success in brokering a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington – a mediation that involved US basketball player Britney Greiner versus Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
“In October, the UAE president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, where he discussed several issues and played a central role in the Russian-US prisoner exchange.”
The Wall Street Journal quoted an unnamed senior White House official as saying that the White House was monitoring Sheikh Mohamed’s successes in relations with Russia and China and that this may have caused a cooling or strained relationship between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
Relations between the UAE and Washington are in a state of limbo due to the American positions on several issues and the feeling of Gulf countries in general that the American administration dealt with issues vital to its security with coldness. To mention but a few, Washington did not show enough resolve when Saudi oil installations and civilian sites were subjected to terrorist attacks by the Houthis with marches and missiles by Iran, as well as the Houthi terrorist attack that targeted Abu Dhabi.
“Over the past seven months, the UAE has seen strides, including reducing oil production in coordination with Moscow through the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, despite objections from the United States,” the Wall Street Journal report said, also noting an influx of Russian business into Dubai.
US officials told the newspaper that Sheikh Mohamed crafted a more independent foreign policy while “witnessing volatility in American policy during four administrations.”
Dina Esfandiary, author of a book about the UAE and senior Middle East adviser at the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, was quoted as saying, “The nature of the relationship has changed, no longer being one of one-sided contact with Washington in Abu Dhabi.”
“UAE officials say they have felt uncertain about the U.S. commitment since the 2019 strikes on Saudi oil fields and tankers in Gulf waters, which were blamed on Iran and not publicly responded to. Prior to that, Emirati officials complained about Washington’s weak response to the drone and missile attacks launched by Houthi militias in January 2022 against Abu Dhabi.”
However, the US official to whom The Wall Street Journal spoke said that there has been dialog in recent months between Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and US officials about Russia and China, adding that “relations with the UAE are improving.”
Although the decision to strengthen relations with China and Russia is a sovereign one and is only related to protecting state interests, the UAE president spoke with U.S. officials, the United Nations and the Ukrainian president after his visit to Russia about de-escalation efforts between Moscow and Kiev, steps that Washington praised through U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
The U.S. views the UAE as a confident partner in combating terrorism, countering extremism, promoting security and stability in the region, and as a pivotal player in stabilizing global energy markets.
The U.S. views the UAE as a confident partner in combating terrorism, countering extremism, promoting security and stability in the region, and as a pivotal player in stabilizing global energy markets.
The US report also referred to the Abraham Middle East Peace Agreement, which led to normalization between the UAE and Israel – a bold decision that strengthens the momentum for peace efforts in the Middle East.
Over the past decade, Sheikh Mohamed has established quiet diplomacy, a familiar figure. He has also charted a path of rapid and confident economic expansion, openness, societal progress and solid relations with Syria after estrangement and with Iran after unrelenting tensions.
The quiet policy ultimately led the UAE president to overcome the tension that arose after Joe Biden, the Democratic President of the United States, took office “over issues of disagreement with China.”
“The UAE’s economy is not only based on oil, but its status as a stable country in a volatile region has made it an attractive market for money, logistics and tourism,” the US report said.
“The entire UAE model depends on the safety, security and stability of the people, and the flow of goods and commodities,” Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Foreign Minister and International Cooperation Minister for Political Affairs and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal.
In his speech on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the UAE National Day, Sheikh Mohamed bluntly said, “The next stage is one of work, persistence, achievement, and competition. There is no room for complacency or complacency because great ambitions require greater determination.” At the time, he emphasized that “the UAE is fully aware of the nature of the transformations around it, and the challenges and opportunities it entails.
He also spoke about cooperating with countries in the region to achieve the well-being of the Emirati people and the peoples of the region, but also by relying on their own capabilities, saying, “We depend on our resources, our capabilities and the help of our children and their minds, and we cooperate honestly and positively with our friends and brothers. We move in the region and the world consciously to maximize our national interests.”
“We are strengthening our active economic, trade, and investment partnerships with various countries of the world to serve our development goals and adopt balanced, balanced and responsible policies in the regional and international arenas,” he said.
“The changes in the world in recent years have underscored the importance of strengthening all aspects of regional cooperation among countries belonging to one region or one geographical area, as is the case with Arab countries in general and the GCC countries in particular,” he said. “These countries have the potential for convergence and integration that others in other regions of the world might not have.”
The UAE is working in co-operation with its brothers to promote Arab integration on a new basis that is effective and realistic, based on common interests, based on economic and development co-operation, and aimed primarily at the prosperity and development of peoples, he said.
In his first address to the UAE people since becoming president in May last year, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who succeeded his brother, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, emphasized the economic dimension and the realization of a vision of building and sustainable development.
Sheikh Mohamed’s recent announcements of a comprehensive regional and international action plan highlight the UAE president’s vision and identify areas of action to secure state interests and promote security and stability in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the UAE adopted a zero-sum policy to effectively resolve crises and promote peace efforts as an alternative to escalation and scattered tensions in a troubled region whose crises need to be addressed through calm and political realism.
