UAE leads by example as it build meaningful relations with neighboring countries

The coronavirus pandemic had such a large scale impact all over the world that it has become extremely difficult to identify leadership that has proven to be worthy of receiving trust of lakhs and crores of people. Last one and half year was a survival battle for people and it continues to pose a threat to them.

One of the nations that was able to not only live upto the trust of people but also effectively contain the spread of the virus was the United Arab Emirates. The leadership of the UAE has been praised from all over the world about its methods of handling the virus attack and strengthening the healthcare system so that the community members can rely on it.

The UAE has in a way led the world to divert their minds from the conversations about the pandemic and instead move to something that is positive and uplifting. In the western part of Asia, the UAE has managed to unfold certain events that take your attention to the better side of a coin.

For instance its relationship with Iran. The UAE has always been rejecting the idea of rebellious and extremist-dominated leadership of Iran and even during the pandemic, it was no different. But considering that Iran became one of the worst-hit nations in the world, the UAE kept aside the difference and offered help to Iran.

Iran had healthcare challenges to address along with the toughened sanctions in place by the United States. Former US president Donald Trump went all out on Iran and started imposing a series of sanctions, which has essentially put on hold all the necessary resources as well as the funds to purchase it.

China and Russia had earlier supported the easing of sanctions on the persian country but the US continued its strong hold on it. China had started sending medical help to Iran and the UAE, too, also took note of the issue and started to offer medical assistance to the sanction loaded country.

After the deed, the UAE’s minister of state for International Cooperation, Reem bint Ibrahim al Hashimy said that it is necessary to continue providing life-saving assistance whenever it is possible so that there can be ground for common good. He further added that during this time of need, the leaders will continue to stand with them.

The UAE has highlighted during this time of crisis that no matter what, it continues to operate and function differently than other nations in the region. It has never anything above human lives and time and again, its leadership has been conveying the same fact. The core values where the UAE functions are surrounded by the intolerance towards terrorism and spreading modernity in the region. The UAE was was so adamant on its stance against terrorism that it started to supprot the bloackade against Qatar, which is a fellow GCC member, who supports and funds a terrorists group called Muslim Brotherhood.

The fresh and innovative ideas of the leadership does not restrict the UAE to just an oil producing, exporting nation. The top officials have been trying extremely hard to make a shift and let people see the UAE in a new light. The top diplomats of the country are looking east and focusing on enhancing its partnership with nations like India, China, Japan and South Korea.

Experts believe that if ties with India were to be considered then it won’t be wrong to say that they have never been better. As per reports, the ties between the two nations grew exponentially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Abu Dhabi in 2015 and the following year, the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed al Nahayan came to New Delhi.

In this regard, UAE Ambassador Ahmed Albanna said that the new dimensions to this relationship is not just political. It extends to sectors such as defence, counter-terror, economic, energy, education, culture, space research, labour.

Ebtesam al Ketb, director of a top UAE think tank also talks about the same. He stressed that the largest Indian expatriate community lives in the emirati nation at present. Their total population adds up to 3.3 million people. This has resulted in enhanced trade practices that have added up to $60 billion. “India is a rising power, and I would say the UAE is looking to India [as] balance for the security in the region with its maritime forces,” said Ketbi.

He also talked about the announcements that the leadership made earlier regarding investment opportunities. He said that India is a growing market and there are many promising investment opportunities in the country. For example, Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC became the first froign company ever to build strategic oil reserves in the country.

The UAE has become one of the only few countries to have expressed its interest in finding common grounds in western Asia as well as India. It has heavily invested in processes like pluralism and tolerance by supporting religious activities of each community. Be it renovating churches or building temples, it has successfully created a space for everyone.