Is the UAE qualified to be a superpower? – Middle East Monitor

UAE Overseas Minister, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met yesterday with Russian Minister of Overseas Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow and mentioned cooperation between the 2 nations and methods to boost their strategic bilateral partnership in varied fields.

The officers exchanged views on key developments and challenges regarding safety and stability within the Center East and Africa, in addition to the “battle” between Russia and Ukraine. In addition they mentioned the steadiness of worldwide power and commodities markets, together with the worldwide grain provide.

Throughout a joint press convention held with Lavrov, Al Nahyan mentioned: “The UAE will proceed to be an efficient and credible worldwide companion via its work with regional and worldwide organisations. The UAE will work with the Russian Federation to search out appropriate options for points in a manner that ensures the achievement of regional and worldwide safety and stability.”

On the identical time, he mentioned: “We additionally affirm our full readiness to interact with all events to achieve a ceasefire settlement,” referring to the Russian struggle in Ukraine.

READ: UAE eager to cooperate with Russia on power safety, says UAE Minister

There may be a lot to grasp from Al Nahyan’s go to to Moscow at a time when there are Western sanctions positioned on the nation because of its struggle on Ukraine. Al Nahyan was talking as if he was a frontrunner of a superpower; a rustic which is a prime provider and influencer. He talked about his nation’s issues in regards to the world markets, oil, meals, grain, stability and humanitarian regulation, as if he might change the worldwide scenario.

Nevertheless, on a worldwide scale, the UAE is not even a regional energy throughout the Center East. That is very clear because it has not been celebration to or develop into a member of any influential or energetic worldwide teams or boards besides OPEC.

On common the UAE produces three million barrels of petroleum and liquids per day and has oil reserves of 100 billion barrels, however this doesn’t make it a developed nation as a result of it has not utilised these income stream to bolster itself, as a substitute, a lot of the wealth has lined the pockets of the ruling elite. Massive portions of funds have additionally been used to destabilise different nations within the area together with Egypt, Yemen and Tunisia.

In truth, the UAE’s membership of OPEC is at all times at stake as a result of the vast majority of the individuals who function its huge oil and gasoline exploration business and gasoline fields are international nationals. At any signal of hassle, they might flee, forcing the sector to break down.

Different nations depend upon a wide range of industries that contribute to world improvement in a lot of fields and thus enhance their very own economies.

The UAE, like most different Gulf States, imports the majority of its meals and medical provides, leaving it below the mercy of worldwide markets, but additionally its personal oil and gasoline business which financial institution rolls the acquisition of worldwide items.

On an area degree, the UAE is Iran’s second largest commerce companion after China. International powers are in talks with Tehran to halt its nuclear programme. This might have an effect on the Emirates probably the most, nonetheless it isn’t included within the talks or requested to assist make Tehran toe the road, in view of its hyperlinks to Iran.

Within the subject of expertise, the UAE helps expertise for Small-Medium Enterprises within the industrial sector and considers the latter the spine of the financial system, however “tech-savvy nations are outlined not solely by the assist they supply to enterprises but additionally via the synergies and partnerships they develop via analysis and innovation.”

READ: Emirati cargo ship sinks off Iran’s southern coast

The UAE has established Abu Dhabi Superior Expertise Analysis Council, the primary analysis council within the Center East. This council was set as much as form analysis and improvement for transformative expertise outcomes, however it has not but produced any tangible contribution to the tech world. The UAE even makes use of Israeli malware to spy by itself residents, as a result of it has no regionally made different.

It has gone as far as to signal a normalisation settlement with the occupation state of Israel as a result of it doesn’t have its personal arms business and is reliant on the US and different world powers to supply it with the weapons it wants. In return for constructing ties with its outdated foe, the UAE was to obtain a contract to buy US F-35 fighter jets, a deal that has since been frozen by America.

With these in thoughts, Al Nahyan’s go to to Moscow means little. A rustic that’s so reliant on worldwide commerce, arms and a worldwide workforce is weak and can’t play a robust function on a worldwide scale. It does, nonetheless, recognise its weaknesses and maintains its world place by flattering and shopping for its place with main powers. It doesn’t wish to lose them with the intention to keep the façade that it’s a robust and worthy ally.

The views expressed on this article belong to the writer and don’t essentially mirror the editorial coverage of Center East Monitor.