UAE – News Agency nabakhabar https://www.en.3danews.ir Find the latest breaking news and information on the top stories, weather, business, entertainment, politics, and more. Sun, 14 Apr 2024 21:25:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://dlen.3danews.ir/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-2-1-32x32.jpg UAE – News Agency nabakhabar https://www.en.3danews.ir 32 32 Saudi, UAE dreams of Middle East dominance inflame regional conflicts https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/68588/saudi-uae-dreams-of-middle-east-dominance-inflame-regional-conflicts https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/68588/saudi-uae-dreams-of-middle-east-dominance-inflame-regional-conflicts#respond Sun, 14 Apr 2024 23:13:51 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=68588 The Saudi-UAE cold war with Iran has been a hot war for most of the Middle East. Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen bare the brutal scars of outside powers competing for influence.

The post Saudi, UAE dreams of Middle East dominance inflame regional conflicts appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> The Saudi-UAE cold war with Iran has been a hot war for most of the Middle East. Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen bare the brutal scars of outside powers competing for influence.

Against the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in Idlib with Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad’s onslaught looming above a defenceless and besieged population, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is negotiating with all parties to weather the storm in Idlib and find an acceptable solution.

As Turkey gains its rightful place as a force for good in a troubled and dangerous world, it is perhaps time to determine the responsibilities of the various actors, not for revenge and retribution, but rather for reflection and memory. In this process, one can also analyse some of the geopolitical patterns that further weakened an already fragile situation in the Middle East, which in turn rendered peace and stability increasingly distant prospects in the region.

The competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran is illustrative of Saudi Arabia’s counterproductive behaviour in the international arena. Ever since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the Gulf has been trying to contain Tehran’s aggressive foreign policy orientation. However, it was the disastrous US intervention in Iraq in 2003, and the subsequent “de-Baathification” policy implemented by America’s viceroy in Iraq, Paul Bremmer, which surrendered Iraq to pro-Iranian forces.

Ever since, the region’s balance has tilted in Iran’s direction, increasing the latter’s appetite for more power-grabbing outside its borders creating a domino effect of sectarian violence in the region.

The rise of Iranian proxies in countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria has pushed Saudi Arabia and Iran into a bitter cold war. The tense political environment has been further complicated by these two regimes’ religious and ideological competition, as both aspire to impose their brands of Islam on the Muslim world.

However, instead of building a strong coalition with their natural allies, the Saudis fought other Sunni forces even more ferociously than their Shia foes. Turkey, which represents the sole successful model for development and progress in the region, has been specifically targeted.

Riyadh’s opposition to the “Arab Spring”, that started in Tunisia in late 2010 and spilt over to other Arab countries, was also vicious and intractable. Seeing that the uprisings were about to dismantle the old authoritarian order, the Saudis joined forces with the UAE to impede its expansion at all costs.

These two countries supported proxies that carried out a coup d’etat (e.g. Egypt) and advised them to utilise counter-revolutionary movements and terrorist groups to shift the uprising from peaceful demonstrations into armed conflicts as it happened in Libya, Yemen, and Syria.

The fact that Iran was also vehemently opposed to the “Arab Spring” led Tehran unleash its support for terror groups in the region. Consequently, these conflicts escalated into sectarian civil wars.

Despite the heavy Iranian intervention, the Saudi-UAE axis moved ahead with their plans to undermine Sunni forces. In the case of Syria, the axis’ meddling is a textbook example of how to implode a revolution from within. This was primarily done by strengthening the most radical elements while weakening the more moderate forces.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which specialises in researching conflicts and armaments, documented that from late 2012 to early 2013, 37 military cargo flights destined to extremist forces in Syria originated from various parts of Saudi Arabia. There were also 36 additional flights from Croatia to Jordan, which carried large amounts of weapons from the former Yugoslavia but were purchased in fact by the Saudis. At that juncture, Jordanian authorities also claimed to have seized several lorry loads of arms destined for Syria that had come from Riyadh, which can only reveal that a land route had been operational.

The Saudi-UAE axis was so blatant in grooming extremist elements that even former US Vice President Joe Biden publicly criticised the actions. At Harvard’s Kennedy School in 2014 he said, “the Saudis, the Emirates [UAE], etc. were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni-Shia war [that] they poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of tons of military weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad, except the people who were being supplied were Al Nusra and Al Qaeda.”

The ensuing internecine feuds within the opposition, the rise of the most extremist elements—who vehemently resisted any attempts at political resolutions—bear the hallmarks of the Saudi-UAE modus operandi.

Steered by an impetuous leader, Riyadh has further weakened the Sunni sphere, and the geo-strategic costs of the Saudis’ erratic behavior are mounting.

Riyadh continues to create havoc in its neighborhood by venturing into an unwinnable war in Yemen and blockading Qatar.

In the interim, the situation in Syria worsens every day. While Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the international community to be aware of its responsibilities in Syria, the UN, the EU, and the Arab States continue to sit on the fence waiting for the dust to settle. Washington on the other hand is waging an economic war on Turkey and is intensifying its support for the Syrian branch of the internationally-recognised terror group, the PKK.

Even so, Ankara is sparing no effort to stop a full-fledged Russian attack in Idlib by trying to neutralise the most radical groups, which were funded and supported by the Saudi-UAE axis. For their part, the legitimate Syrian opposition is pinning its last hopes on Turkey to prevent a bloodbath that could represent a severe blow to their aspirations for freedom and liberty.

In its defence of the Idlib population, the Turkish presidency proves that right makes might and not vice versa.

People in the Middle East and North Africa are taking note of Turkey’s principled and humanitarian-driven foreign policy and continue to dream of a day where a new and better order will govern their realm. In the meantime, one should neither forget nor forgive the dark Saudi role in fostering extremism and creating more avenues for foreign intervention in the region.

Turkey, as a matter of fact, has always considered the Saudis as friends. However, during these times and as the old adage goes, it is certainly better to have intelligent enemies than stupid friends.

The post Saudi, UAE dreams of Middle East dominance inflame regional conflicts appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/68588/saudi-uae-dreams-of-middle-east-dominance-inflame-regional-conflicts/feed 0 UAE ranks 26th globally, 1st regionally in UNDP’s Human Development Report https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/58692/uae-ranks-26th-globally-1st-regionally-in-undps-human-development-report https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/58692/uae-ranks-26th-globally-1st-regionally-in-undps-human-development-report#respond Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:53:39 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=58692 The UAE has ranked 26th globally and first in the Arab world in the 2021/2022 Human Development Report, which is published annually by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), putting it ahead of many countries including Spain, France and Italy.

The post UAE ranks 26th globally, 1st regionally in UNDP’s Human Development Report appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> The UAE has ranked 26th globally and first in the Arab world in the 2021/2022 Human Development Report, which is published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), putting it ahead of many countries including Spain, France and Italy.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. The UAE’s HDI value for 2021 reached 0.911 which put the country in the ‘Very High’ human development category positioning it at 26 out of 191 countries and territories.

Between 1990 and 2021, the UAE’s HDI value rose from 0.728 to 0.911, an increase of 25.1 percent, with life expectancy at birth in the country rising by 6.8 years, mean years of schooling by 6.9 years and expected years of schooling by 5.2 years.

According to the report, the UAE’s Gender Development Index (GDI) value of 0.953, placing it into Group 2, with the 2021 female HDI value for the United Arab Emirates being 0.877 in contrast with 0.921 for males.

The GDI measures gender gaps in achievements in three basic dimensions of human development: health (measured by female and male life expectancy at birth), knowledge (measured by female and male expected years of schooling for children and mean years of schooling for adults aged 25 years and older) and living standards (measured by female and male estimated GNI per capita). It is a ratio of the female to the male HDI.

On the Gender Inequality Index (GII), which measures gender inequalities (the loss in human development due to inequality between female and male achievements) in three key dimensions – reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market, the country scored a value of 0.049, ranking it 11 out of 170 countries in 2021. The lower GII values represent a better performance regarding gender inequality.

Reproductive health is measured by maternal mortality ratio and adolescent birth rates; empowerment is measured by the shares of parliamentary seats held and the population with at least some secondary education by each gender; and labor market participation is measured by the labor force participation rates for women and men.

The post UAE ranks 26th globally, 1st regionally in UNDP’s Human Development Report appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/58692/uae-ranks-26th-globally-1st-regionally-in-undps-human-development-report/feed 0 UAE decries ‘heinous Houthi attack’ after Abu Dhabi blasts: Live https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/military/53174/uae-decries-heinous-houthi-attack-after-abu-dhabi-blasts-live https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/military/53174/uae-decries-heinous-houthi-attack-after-abu-dhabi-blasts-live#respond Mon, 17 Jan 2022 18:31:48 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=53174 A suspected drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting a key oil facility in Abu Dhabi killed three people and started a separate fire at Abu Dhabi’s international airport, police said.

The post UAE decries ‘heinous Houthi attack’ after Abu Dhabi blasts: Live appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> A suspected drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting a key oil facility in Abu Dhabi killed three people and started a separate fire at Abu Dhabi’s international airport, police said. Police in the United Arab Emirates identified the dead as two Indian nationals and one Pakistani.

end of list

“Small flying objects” were found as three petrol tanks exploded in an industrial area and a fire was ignited at the airport, police said, as Houthi rebels announced “military operations” in the UAE.

Drone attacks are a hallmark of the Houthis’ assaults on Saudi Arabia, the UAE ally that is leading the coalition fighting for Yemen’s government in the grinding civil war.

Here are the latest updates:

UAE says Houthi attack ‘will not go unpunished’

“The UAE condemns this terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on areas and civilian facilities on Emirati soil … [It] will not go unpunished,” the Emirati foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The UAE reserves the right to respond to these terrorist attacks and criminal escalation,” it added.

Pakistan confirms one citizen killed in UAE

Pakistan’s foreign ministry has confirmed one Pakistani citizen was killed in an incident in the UAE, which the ministry identified as a “fire”.

“With regard to the fire involving three petroleum tankers in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, today, we have learnt through UAE authorities that it sadly resulted in deaths and injuries. The Abu Dhabi Police has also informed our Embassy in Abu Dhabi about the demise of a Pakistani in the incident,” the statement read.

“Our Embassy is in close contact with the UAE authorities for ascertaining more details in this regard,” it added.

Bahrain ‘strongly condemns’ Houthi attack

Bahrain condemned what it described as a “cowardly terrorist attack”.

In a statement carried by Bahrain’s official state news agency, the foreign affairs ministry said the kingdom “denounces this Houthi attack”.

The Kingdom stands “in solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and all the measures it will take to confront such cowardly attacks,” BNA reported.

UAE condemns ‘heinous Houthi attack’

The UAE condemned a “heinous” attack it blamed on the Houthi rebels.

“UAE authorities… are dealing… with the heinous Houthi attack on some civilian installations in Abu Dhabi,” tweeted presidential advisor Anwar Gargash, referring to the Yemeni rebels.

“The tampering of the region’s security by terrorist militias is too weak to affect the stability and safety in which we live,” he added.

Houthis ‘capable of carrying out this type of attack’: Analyst

Principal MENA analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, Torbjorn Soltvedt, said the Houthis have shown in the past that they are “very much capable of carrying out this type of attack”.

The range of the attack “fit with previous similar attacks in Saudi Arabia”, Soltvedt told Al Jazeera.

In previous incidents, they [UAE] have been very measured in their response to such attacks, he said. A big part of that is the “very tense security environment that we have in the region”.

“One of the big questions is … whether or not there’s been any type of direct or indirect Iranian involvement in this attack,” Soltvedt added.

Etihad Airways says flights were briefly disrupted

An Etihad Airways spokesperson said a small number of flights were briefly disrupted at Abu Dhabi airport due to “precautionary measures”, but normal operations quickly resumed.

ADNOC says working with authorities to ‘determine exact cause’ of attack

ADNOC oil firm said an incident at its Mussafah Fuel Depot at 10:00am local time had resulted in a fire and that it was working with authorities to “determine the exact cause”.

“ADNOC is deeply saddened to confirm that three colleagues have died. A further six colleagues were injured and received immediate specialist medical care,” it said in a statement.

Police closed the road leading to the area.

“Initial investigations found parts of a small plane that could possibly be a drone at both sites that could have caused the explosion and the fire,” Abu Dhabi police said.

Statement on ‘special military operation’ in UAE coming soon: Houthis

Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, said in a Twitter post that an “important statement” is coming to “announce a special military operation in the depth of UAE”.

Houthis ‘frustrated’ over Saudi-UAE influence in Yemen: Al Jazeera correspondent

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, who has reported extensively on Yemen, said that the attack comes against the backdrop of a “massive military operation which is underway now in Yemen”.

“The Saudi-led coalition said yesterday that it has been intensifying their attacks in different areas around Marib, and also major Houthi strongholds,” Ahelbarra said.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have been “frustrated” over what they say is growing Saudi-Emirati influence in Yemen, he said.

The attack on the UAE was carried out as a “show of defiance to the Saudis and the Emiratis,” Ahelbarra added.

“The Houthis are saying despite more than seven years of massive campaigns against us, we are more powerful than before … we have managed to further upgrade our military capabilities to the point that we can launch daring attacks inside Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

Oil giant ADNOC facility in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu DhabiMen stand outside a storage facility of oil giant ADNOC in the capital of the 
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi [AFP]

Houthi spokesman to give more details ‘in upcoming hours’

Al Jazeera,s Mohammed al Attab, reporting from Sanaa, said the Houthi military spokesperson Yahya al Saree said he will provide “more details in the upcoming hours”.

Al Attab said that according to the Houthi minister of information, these attacks are to “teach the UAE a lesson … in order to stop its involvement and participating in the Saudi-led coalition war in Yemen”.

“We know … the Houthis have also carried out some attacks to the southern areas of Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Interactive - Suspected drone attack in Abu Dhabi

Saudi-led coalition destroys 8 drones headed towards kingdom: state media

The Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed eight drones launched towards the kingdom, Saudi state media reported.

Concern for oil market

Principal MENA analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, Torbjorn Soltvedt, said the suspected drone attacks would concern oil market watchers at a time when global powers are trying to salvage a nuclear deal with Iran.

“With negotiators running out of time, the risk of a deterioration in the region’s security climate is rising,” the Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.

Houthis announce ‘military operation’

The military spokesman of the Houthis said the group had launched a military operation “deep in the UAE”.

More details would be announced in the coming hours, the spokesman added.

“The armed forces announced that they will announce important military operations in the UAE in the coming hours,” tweeted military spokesman Yahya Saree.

Abu Dhabi airport Drivers take a road leading to Abu Dhabi’s airport in the capital of the 
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi [AFP]

Three dead in UAE suspected drone attack

At least three people have been killed and six others wounded when three oil tankers exploded in Abu Dhabi in a suspected drone attack.

The explosions “resulted in the death of a Pakistani national and two Indian nationals, and six others sustained mild to moderate injuries,” according to state news agency WAM.

Suspected drones hit UAE

Suspected drones set off an explosion and a fire in Abu Dhabi, as Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced “military operations” in the United Arab Emirates.

“Small flying objects” were found as three petrol tanks exploded in an industrial area and a fire was ignited at the airport, police said.

Unverified footage on social media showed a thick plume of black smoke billowing from what appeared to be the Musaffah area.

The rebels have previously threatened to target Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the gleaming crown jewels of the UAE which last year opened its first nuclear power plant.

The Houthis’ latest statement comes two weeks after they seized a UAE-flagged ship, the Rwabee, off the Yemen coast, and released footage purporting to show military equipment on board.

The UAE said the Rwabee, whose 11 crew are now hostages, was a “civilian cargo vessel” and called the hijacking a “dangerous escalation” in the busy Red Sea shipping route.

The post UAE decries ‘heinous Houthi attack’ after Abu Dhabi blasts: Live appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/military/53174/uae-decries-heinous-houthi-attack-after-abu-dhabi-blasts-live/feed 0 Turkey, UAE aim to deepen cooperation after Dubai talks https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52275/turkey-uae-aim-to-deepen-cooperation-after-dubai-talks https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52275/turkey-uae-aim-to-deepen-cooperation-after-dubai-talks#respond Fri, 17 Dec 2021 18:31:49 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=52275 Dubai ruler and Turkish FM discuss strengthening cooperation between the UAE and Turkey and developing frameworks to collaborate on all areas of common interest.

The post Turkey, UAE aim to deepen cooperation after Dubai talks appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]>
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday they aim to deepen cooperation after talks in Dubai between the Turkish foreign minister and the UAE’s prime minister, as the rivals step up diplomacy to mend ties strained by years of animosity.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in the UAE on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and meet Turkish businesspeople in Dubai, the region’s trade and tourism hub.

The visit comes after Turkey and the UAE signed accords and deals at talks in Ankara last month, in a move President Tayyip Erdogan said would herald a “new era” in relations.

The Dubai Media Office said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the ruler of Dubai and the UAE’s vice president and prime minister, met Cavusoglu to discuss “strengthening cooperation between the UAE and Turkey and developing frameworks to collaborate on all areas of common interest.”

On Tuesday, Cavusoglu met Turkish businesspeople in Dubai, who he said “play a big role in developing commercial ties with the UAE.” He said after meeting Sheikh Mohammed that Turkey and the UAE “will further develop our economic and commercial relations.”

Dealings between Turkey and the UAE have been strained over the role of Islamist groups in the tumult following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, and the countries were on opposite sides in Libya’s conflict.

Ankara had previously accused the UAE of financing a failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 and of sowing chaos in the region with its involvement in Yemen, while Abu Dhabi has criticized Turkey’s military operations in the region.

As part of a charm offensive launched last year, Turkey has also moved to repair ties with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but those talks have yielded little public improvement. Abu Dhabi has also accelerated a push to ease regional conflicts and refocus on the economy.

The post Turkey, UAE aim to deepen cooperation after Dubai talks appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52275/turkey-uae-aim-to-deepen-cooperation-after-dubai-talks/feed 0 Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to make first official visit to UAE https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52120/israeli-pm-naftali-bennett-to-make-first-official-visit-to-uae https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52120/israeli-pm-naftali-bennett-to-make-first-official-visit-to-uae#respond Sun, 12 Dec 2021 19:00:04 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=52120 Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will travel to the United Arab Emirates to meet the Gulf state’s de facto ruler, in the first-ever visit to the UAE by an Israeli prime minister.

The post Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to make first official visit to UAE appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will travel to the United Arab Emirates to meet the Gulf state’s de facto ruler, in the first-ever visit to the UAE by an Israeli prime minister.

Bennett will depart for the high-level public visit on Sunday and will meet Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Monday, Bennett’s office said in a statement.

The leader will discuss “deepening the ties between Israel and the UAE, especially economic and regional issues,” the statement said.

“This is the first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the UAE,” it added.

There was no immediate confirmation from the UAE.

The two countries formalized relations last year as part of a US-brokered agreement known as the Abraham Accords. The agreement has led to a raft of deals ranging from tourism and business to cutting-edge technology.

Iran nuclear talks

The meeting comes against the backdrop of struggling nuclear talks between world power and Iran.

Underpinning UAE-Israel ties is a shared concern over Iran’s nuclear reach in the region. Israel says it is determined to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.

In recent weeks, Israel has fanned out its top diplomats to meet with allies in Europe, the United States and the Middle East to push for a firmer approach to Iran.

Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal in 2018 and stepped up sanctions against Iran.

Talks in Vienna now aim to bring the United States back into the deal and return Iran to full compliance with its commitments.

Bennett has called for the Vienna talks to be halted, accusing Tehran of “nuclear blackmail” and charging that it will use any revenue from sanctions relief to bolster a military arsenal that can harm Israel.

UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan visited Iran earlier this month.

The trip was the first of its kind since relations between the two countries were downgraded in 2016.

Bennett’s visit to the UAE follows a historic trip by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in June on the occasion of the inauguration of the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Lapid’s meeting with the UAE’s foreign minister was the highest-level visit by an Israeli official to the Gulf Arab state since the two countries formally established relations.

Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have also moved to establish ties with Israel. The regional rapprochement was deplored by Palestinians who wanted their demands for statehood free of Israeli occupation addressed first.

The post Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to make first official visit to UAE appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/52120/israeli-pm-naftali-bennett-to-make-first-official-visit-to-uae/feed 0 France signs weapons mega-deal with UAE https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/51940/france-signs-weapons-mega-deal-with-uae https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/51940/france-signs-weapons-mega-deal-with-uae#respond Mon, 06 Dec 2021 11:15:06 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=51940 The UAE is buying 80 upgraded Rafale warplanes in a deal the French Defence Ministry says is worth 16 billion euros and represents the largest-ever French weapons contract for export.

The post France signs weapons mega-deal with UAE appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]>
The UAE is buying 80 upgraded Rafale warplanes in a deal the French Defence Ministry says is worth 16 billion euros and represents the largest-ever French weapons contract for export.

France announced multibillion-euro deals Friday to sell fighter planes and combat helicopters to the United Arab Emirates, aiming to boost military cooperation with its top ally in the Persian Gulf amid their shared concerns about Iran.

The UAE is buying 80 upgraded Rafale warplanes in a deal the French Defence Ministry said is worth 16 billion euros ($18 billion) and represents the largest-ever French weapons contract for export. It also announced a deal with the UAE to sell 12 Airbus-built combat helicopters.

They offer a shot in the arm for France’s defense industry after the collapse of a $66 billion contract for Australia to buy 12 French submarines that ultimately went to the US But the deals faced criticism by human rights groups concerned about the UAE’s involvement in the yearslong war in Yemen.

The UAE contracts were signed as French President Emmanuel Macron visited the country on the first stop of a two-day visit to the Persian Gulf.

France has particularly deep ties to the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. France has a naval base there and French warplanes and personnel also are stationed in a major facility outside the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to reporters in Dubai, Macron said they are important contracts for the deepening defense cooperation between France and the UAE.

In addition, “it’s important for our economy because the planes are manufactured in France,” he said.

Macron and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s de facto ruler, were present at the Rafale contract signing.

Manufacturer Dassault Aviation said the UAE is buying the upgraded F4 version of its multirole Rafale combat aircraft. That will make the Emirates Air Force the first Rafale F4 user outside of France, it said.

Dassault Aviation boss Eric Trappier called the sale “a French success story” and “excellent news for France and for its aeronautical industry.”

The purchase marks a sizable step up for the UAE’s military capabilities in the oil- and gas-rich region. Charles Forrester, a senior analyst at Janes, said the fighter “will significantly upgrade UAE’s airpower capabilities in terms of the strike, air-to-air warfare, and reconnaissance.” Abu Dhabi also hopes to buy American stealth F-35 fighters after diplomatically recognizing Israel last year.

Dassault said the Rafale will give the UAE “a tool capable of guaranteeing sovereignty and operational independence” and that it will start delivering the planes in 2027.

French defense officials were jubilant. Defence Minister Florence Parly said the Rafale deal “directly contributes to regional stability.” The additional sale of Caracal helicopters also illustrates “the density of our defense relationship,” she said.

Human rights groups said weapons the UAE provides to its Gulf allies could be used “for unlawful attacks or even war crimes” in Yemen as well as Libya, a conflict that the UAE has been accused of being involved in through proxies.

“France’s support for the UAE and Saudi Arabia is even more objectional as their leaders have failed to improve their countries’ disastrous human rights records domestically, although their public relations efforts to present themselves as progressive and tolerant internationally is in full swing,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement ahead of Macron’s trip to the Gulf.

Macron’s keen interest in forging personal relationships with Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and his counterpart in Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, makes him a welcome guest in the region. Both Gulf leaders value a degree of pragmatism when discussing democracy and human rights — issues on which their countries have been heavily criticized by rights groups and European lawmakers — while pursuing business opportunities.

Months after Macron was elected in 2017, he traveled to the UAE to inaugurate Louvre Abu Dhabi, built under a $1.2 billion agreement to share the name and art of the world-famous museum in Paris.

In September, Macron hosted Abu Dhabi’s crown prince at the historic Chateau de Fontainebleau outside Paris, which was restored in 2019 with a UAE donation of 10 million euros ($11.3 million).

The UAE and France also have become increasingly aligned over a shared mistrust of Islamist political parties across the Middle East and backed the same side in Libya’s civil strife.

A senior French presidency official who spoke to reporters ahead of the trip on customary condition of anonymity said Macron will “continue to push and support the efforts that contribute to the stability of the region, from the Mediterranean to the Gulf.”

Gulf tensions will be discussed, the official said, in particular the revived talks about Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, following then-US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement.

France, along with Germany and the United Kingdom, thinks the 2015 nuclear agreement — with minor tweaks — is the way forward with Iran, analysts say. The UAE and Saudi Arabia bitterly opposed the West’s negotiated deal with Iran, though now both have launched talks with Tehran to cool tensions.

“Although the Gulf countries did not like the West’s deal with Iran, the prospect of it falling apart acrimoniously is also bad for them and arguably presents worse risks,” said Jane Kinninmont, a London-based Gulf expert with the European Leadership Network think tank.

“Their view has always been the West should have gotten more out of Iran before sealing the deal,” Kinninmont said. “But if the West walks away with nothing, the Gulf countries are beginning to understand that their security will not improve as a result.”

The post France signs weapons mega-deal with UAE appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/news-header/51940/france-signs-weapons-mega-deal-with-uae/feed 0 UAE targets 25% of global hydrogen fuel market by 2030 https://www.en.3danews.ir/environment/51143/uae-targets-25-of-global-hydrogen-fuel-market-by-2030 https://www.en.3danews.ir/environment/51143/uae-targets-25-of-global-hydrogen-fuel-market-by-2030#respond Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:20:49 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=51143 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to capture 25% of the global hydrogen fuel market by 2030, state news agency WAM reported on Thursday.

The post UAE targets 25% of global hydrogen fuel market by 2030 appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to capture 25% of the global hydrogen fuel market by 2030, state news agency WAM reported on Thursday.

The major oil producer also said that it was implementing more than seven ambitious hydrogen projects, targeting main export markets including Japan, South Korea, Germany and India, in addition to other markets in Europe and East Asia.

The post UAE targets 25% of global hydrogen fuel market by 2030 appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/environment/51143/uae-targets-25-of-global-hydrogen-fuel-market-by-2030/feed 0 UAE launches Sinopharm vaccine trial for children under 18 https://www.en.3danews.ir/health/46772/uae-launches-sinopharm-vaccine-trial-for-children-under-18 https://www.en.3danews.ir/health/46772/uae-launches-sinopharm-vaccine-trial-for-children-under-18#respond Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:57:33 +0000 https://www.en.3danews.ir/?p=46772 Some members of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family are participating in a trial administering China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 3-17, the emirate’s media office said. The trial will monitor the immune response of 900 children “in preparation to vaccinate children in the near future”, Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a Twitter post on […]

The post UAE launches Sinopharm vaccine trial for children under 18 appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> Some members of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family are participating in a trial administering China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 3-17, the emirate’s media office said.

The trial will monitor the immune response of 900 children “in preparation to vaccinate children in the near future”, Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed, a son of the United Arab Emirates’ de facto ruler and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accompanied his children, nieces and nephews to participate in the immune bridge study, it said.

The UAE in May approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in children aged 12-15. Dubai, the second-largest member of the UAE federation, started inoculating that age group this month.

The UAE, which has among the world’s highest immunisation rates, on Wednesday registered 2,011 new coronavirus infections to take its total to 603,961 cases with 1,738 deaths. It does not provide a breakdown for each of its seven emirates.

The Gulf state-led Phase III clinical trials of the vaccine produced by China’s state-owned drugmaker Sinopharm and have started manufacturing it under a joint venture between Sinopharm and Abu Dhabi-based technology company Group 42.

The post UAE launches Sinopharm vaccine trial for children under 18 appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/health/46772/uae-launches-sinopharm-vaccine-trial-for-children-under-18/feed 0 China, UAE vow to deepen cooperation on counterterrorism, de-radicalization https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/43124/china-uae-vow-to-deepen-cooperation-on-counterterrorism-de-radicalization https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/43124/china-uae-vow-to-deepen-cooperation-on-counterterrorism-de-radicalization#respond Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:14:19 +0000 https://www.en.nabakhabar.ir/?p=43124 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should strengthen counterterrorism and de-radicalization cooperation. Wang said the two sides should jointly uphold “genuine multilateralism,” promote the democratization of international relations and safeguard the diversity of civilizations during a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al […]

The post China, UAE vow to deepen cooperation on counterterrorism, de-radicalization appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]>

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should strengthen counterterrorism and de-radicalization cooperation.

Wang said the two sides should jointly uphold “genuine multilateralism,” promote the democratization of international relations and safeguard the diversity of civilizations during a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE in Abu Dhabi.

Describing the two peoples as good friends, good brothers and good partners, the Chinese foreign minister said China-UAE relations are built on a high level of mutual trust and deep traditional friendship.

The strong friendship and mutual trust between the two leaders have provided a strong guarantee for the continuous development of relations between the two countries, he said.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) walks with Sheikh 
Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L), minister of Foreign Affairs and International 
Cooperation of the UAE, 
in Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 28, 2021. /Chinese Foreign Ministry

Wang said the development of the two economies is the growth of the world’s peaceful forces and the embodiment of the diversity of civilizations, which will make the world more balanced, harmonious and colorful.

He said China is willing to work with the UAE to continuously innovate cooperation models, expand the scope of cooperation and demonstrate global moral responsibility.

“China fully supports the UAE in hosting the Dubai Expo and is ready to work with all parties to ensure the Beijing Winter Olympics a complete success,” he said.

Commenting on the joint data security cooperation initiative between China and Arab countries, Wang said the agreement demonstrates the two sides’ willingness to actively participate in the formulation of rules for the global digital economy.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) holds talks with Sheikh 
Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R), UAE minister of Foreign Affairs and International 
Cooperation, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 28, 2021. /Chinese Foreign Ministry

Human rights are not defined by the West

The Chinese foreign minister earlier unveiled a five-point initiative for security and stability in the Middle East.

“China has put forward a five-point initiative on achieving security and stability in the Middle East, hoping that regional countries will uphold the spirit of independence, take ownership to explore a security architecture that meets the needs of the region and find a development path that suits the national conditions of the regional countries,” he said.

Mentioning human rights, Wang said that a country’s human rights situation shall be judged by its people, rather than other countries’ opinions, especially since the Western view of human rights doesn’t necessarily represent those of the international community.

“It’s normal that different civilizations and traditions in different development phases lead to different understandings and emphases,” Wang said. “This is why we advocate communicating equally and learning from each other on the human rights issue.”

On his part, Sheikh Abdullah said the UAE is ready to work with China to combat terrorism, especially to strengthen de-radicalization efforts and work together to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.

He said that forcing others to accept one’s own values is hegemony, and many developing countries have suffered such unfair treatment over human rights issues, adding that the country is willing to work with China on promoting and protecting human rights.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and Sheikh Abdullah Bin 
Zayed Al Nahyan (R), minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of 
the UAE, attend the China-UAE launch of a project to package active vaccine 
ingredients in Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 28, 2021. /Chinese Foreign Ministry

Vaccination plan for overseas Chinese citizens

The Chinese people should be proud of China’s remarkable development achievements and leading the way in the fight against COVID-19, Sheikh Abdullah said, adding that the UAE is also proud to have such a strategic partner as China.

Wang said that the two countries’ cooperation in conducting the world’s first phase III clinical trial of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine set a record for advancing multinational and large-scale clinical trials and made an important contribution to promoting international cooperation against COVID-19.

The Chinese foreign minister added that China hopes to establish COVID-19 vaccination sites in qualified and willing countries as part of its Spring Vaccine action plan to inoculate overseas Chinese citizens with Chinese vaccines. The two leaders discussed a plan to set up a number of such sites in the UAE.

Sheikh Abdullah said that his country, as China’s strategic partner, is willing to host such sites to facilitate COVID-19 vaccination for Chinese citizens in the UAE and neighboring countries, and is prepared for further detailed discussions.

The two sides also announced an agreement in principle on the mutual acceptance of health codes and attended the China-UAE launch of the cloud project to package active vaccine ingredients.

The UAE is Wang’s fourth stop on a six-state tour that started on March 24. He visited Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey earlier this week. His next stops are Oman and Bahrain.

On Saturday, Wang met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, to discuss topics including China-UAE bilateral ties and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post China, UAE vow to deepen cooperation on counterterrorism, de-radicalization appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/43124/china-uae-vow-to-deepen-cooperation-on-counterterrorism-de-radicalization/feed 0 UAE suspends Abu Dhabi summit over Netanyahu’s electioneering https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/42757/uae-suspends-abu-dhabi-summit-over-netanyahus-electioneering https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/42757/uae-suspends-abu-dhabi-summit-over-netanyahus-electioneering#respond Thu, 18 Mar 2021 14:48:56 +0000 https://www.en.nabakhabar.ir/?p=42757 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended a planned summit in Abu Dhabi with Israel and Arab states angered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invoking one of its rulers in his election campaign, Israeli media reported. The summit scheduled for April was supposed to be attended by Netanyahu, a US official from the Biden […]

The post UAE suspends Abu Dhabi summit over Netanyahu’s electioneering appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended a planned summit in Abu Dhabi with Israel and Arab states angered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invoking one of its rulers in his election campaign, Israeli media reported.

The summit scheduled for April was supposed to be attended by Netanyahu, a US official from the Biden administration, and leaders from other Arab states that have normalised relations with Israel, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.

The Israeli newspaper reported that Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, known as MBZ, is “outraged” at what he regards as Netanyahu “exploiting the normalisation deal with Israel as a part of his election campaign”.

The Israeli media reports pointed to MBZ’s dissatisfaction with Netanyahu publicly claiming in a campaign rally that the Abu Dhabi crown prince has assured him of an immediate investment of up to $10bn into the country.

According to Israeli channel Kan, the UAE does not want to be part of Netanyahu’s election campaign, and has asked him to postpone his visit – which was planned to take place tomorrow – until after the Israeli elections.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Gargash said “from the UAE’s perspective, the purpose of the Abrahamic Accords is to provide a robust strategic foundation to foster peace and prosperity with the State of Israel and in the wider region,” rather than interfering in internal elections.

For his part, Netanyahu told Israeli Army Radio on Wednesday he will travel to the Gulf country after the March 23 Israeli elections are over.

“I will not travel to Abu Dhabi before the elections. I will go there later,” he said.

Since the announcement of normalisation of relations between the two countries in August last year, Netanyahu has several times postponed planned visits to the UAE.

The latest postponement happened last week when Jordan refused to allow Netanyahu’s flight to cross over its airspace.

The post UAE suspends Abu Dhabi summit over Netanyahu’s electioneering appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

]]> https://www.en.3danews.ir/political/42757/uae-suspends-abu-dhabi-summit-over-netanyahus-electioneering/feed 0