UAE and France: Strategic partnership sets the Stability Map
A map that aims to stabilize the Middle East and the world then sets the tone for decades of UAE-French relations and draws it out as an exceptional strategic partnership.
Strong ties have been forged by long years of cooperation and partnership, and through mutual visits at the highest levels of both sides, they have been embodied in a model that has become an example for relations between States.
As part of the momentum in bilateral relations, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to France, which began on Sunday, is the first international trip since he assumed office on May 14.
The visit highlights once again UAE relations that were established decades ago based on the principles and tenets of international law, through respect for all international bilateral and collective norms and agreements that bind them with other countries, making their relations balanced and firm over time.
A strong foreign policy and relations that have enhanced the status of the UAE as a country that enjoys regional and international recognition and respect. With its great achievements, which were achieved thanks to its wise leadership over the past decades, it has become a leading country with a surplus recorded in its relations in various fields.
Dialog and coordination
The UAE-French relations are based on permanent coordination that makes dialog the key to a shared vision between the two sides, primarily aimed at achieving regional and global stability by fighting terrorism and establishing peace.
A trend translated by constant contacts between the leadership of the two countries and the exchange of visits between their officials. Perhaps the selection of the French President of the United Arab Emirates as his first destination in the Middle East after his election in 2017 is proof of the depth of historical relations.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates, considered the late French President Jacques Chirac a reliable friend and ally, and the two countries adopted a common vision to find alternative and peaceful solutions to crises and conflicts in the region.
To date, the areas of coordination between the two countries include several regional and international issues, the fight against terrorism, and the promotion of security and peace in the region.
In recent years, relations have been developing at the political level, as evidenced by the constant dialog between the two sides and frequent ministerial and governmental meetings.
The visit of parliamentary delegations and the contacts at the highest levels between the two countries have also been frequent in a rapid and spontaneous manner, reflecting the interest that France and the United Arab Emirates attach to the development of bilateral relations.
Combating terrorism and promoting tolerance
The French-Emirati vision of a formula for stability and peace, both in the Middle East and around the world, is the main theme.
The United Arab Emirates also adopts a vision based on its belief in the importance of tolerance and the renunciation of terrorism in order to bring countries, peoples and cultures closer together and to avoid conflicts.
Because the regional context is often turbulent and volatile, the UAE is concerned with peace and security as the nexus of peace, which it shares with Paris.
The two countries’ efforts in the service of international security have gone beyond dialog and talks to include joint achievements in respect of international treaties and the principles of international law, in order to alleviate conflicts, spread a culture of tolerance and renounce terrorism.
A successful bilateral track, translated by former French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, in which he said that relations between France and the UAE are “the bridge of Paris’ strategic success in the Gulf region.”
Roadmap
A strategic dialog launched by the two countries to ensure practical follow-up to key projects underpinning the bilateral relationship between the two countries, in which they adopted in 2020 a new road map for their strategic partnership for the next 10 years (2020-2030).
The strategic dialog between the United Arab Emirates and France was established years ago. It is an annual dialog that aims to strengthen bilateral relations to reach the strategic level.
The dialog aims to identify existing and future opportunities and partnerships and ensure continuity of cooperation in existing projects and initiatives such as the economy, trade, investment, culture, oil and gas, nuclear energy, renewable energy, education and culture, health, space and security, as well as other sectors of common priority.
The UAE has the largest expatriate French community in the Arab Gulf countries, with more than 25,000 French expatriates registered with the French Expatriates Registry.
