UAE Moving With Its Foreign Policy Based on National Interests, Not Others' Interests, Expert Says

The 8th edition of the Mediterranean Dialogue (MED) takes place in Rome on December 2-3. Launched in 2015, the conference has been annually held and is positioned as a global platform for dialog developing a "positive agenda" for the countries of the Mediterranean region.

In an interview with Sputnik on the sidelines of the Rome MED, Mediterranean Dialogues Conference in Rome, Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, the President and Founder of the Emirates Policy Center, shared her views on the UAE 2031 Strategy, the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the oil market.

Sputnik: The United Arab Emirates just celebrated its 51st National Day with the country embracing the UAE 2031 Strategy. What are the key goals of this initiative and what is the country aiming for in the next decade?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: The UAE ambitions have no limits and it is always a pioneer in many things. So this strategy means how to look to the UAE in 2050 in terms of education, in terms of space, artificial intelligence, economy, digitalization. So all of this means where the UAE wants to be in 2050. The strategy is also based on 10 principles, and was announced last year on National Day, where the economy comes first and politics should serve the economy. So all our international relations and foreign policy should work to serve this purpose.

Sputnik: Your country has taken a moderate attitude towards the crisis in Ukraine without imposing sanctions on Russia. As you mentioned, the country is putting economy over politics. Would it be able to withstand the pressure from Washington and from the EU in terms of not imposing sanctions and trying to find a peaceful solution?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: In principle, the UAE is against any violation of international law, against any intervention in other countries. These are our principles, but it doesn't mean that what is good for others is good for the UAE. So when the UAE took this stance, it looked at its own national interests. We have a good relationship with Russia. Russia is one of our strategic partners, and we have military cooperation, we have economic cooperation, so why should we take other people's position? In fact, we should use this good relationship for mediation to reach a peaceful solution between the two parties. So what if all the world is against Russia, who would mediate to bring a peaceful solution? Now, the UAE is moving with its foreign policy based on its national interests, not others’ interests.

Sputnik: The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE has written an article in support of India’s G20 presidency, saying that it's a priority for the UAE. Currently, the country is a guest at the organization. What are the UAE's goals when it comes to cooperating with the G20 and why is India's presidency so important for your nation?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: First, India is a major power in Asia. It is. I would say it comes after China in terms of economy, and it's a strategic partner for the UAE. We have cooperation on many levels, plus, of course, historical relations with India. Now supporting India means also supporting Asia. The G20 has for many years been only on the West side. India's presidency at the G20 could help the UAE with some of its goals.

Sputnik: Since we mentioned international clubs and forums like G20, what is the UAE's position on other unions, such as cooperating with BRICS, with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization? Are there any plans?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: The UAE, since 2015, has started diversifying its relations with countries and with organizations and is also looking to Asia. From that date, we started a good relationship with India, with China, with many Asian countries. And I think bringing G20 to Asia shows that there are other players in the world rather than Western players.

Sputnik: How do you view the situation in the oil market at this moment and what will be the possible developments in the future?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: I think there are some double standards and some bureaucracy in that. Now, there' much pressure on the oil-producing countries, which are mainly the Gulf bloc, in terms of pumping more oil, while nobody looked at American oil and nobody mentioned or pointed to that. This is one thing. The other thing is the relation between accusations against the Gulf countries that they are producing unclean energy and that they are the main cause of climate change. And the pressure was before that: "you have to stop pumping more oil." And now, because of the oil crisis in Europe, we have been asked, pressured by the Americans and Europeans to pump more oil, regardless of climate change, which is a very hypocrital approach.