Being one of the richest countries of the Gulf Region, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in order to enhance its influence and to become an important actor in the Middle East and international politics often resorts to use its existing wealth. In this context, the UAE even interferes in internal affairs of other countries of the region by pursuing highly complex and multidimensional policies. The news stories on diverse media organs verify this assertion.
Whereas UAE is looking for ways to be well connected with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, interestingly, it does also maintain a close connection with the State of Israel, with whom the Emirates has no diplomatic relations. UAE, who regards organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas as a threat to themselves, has tense relations with countries notably like Iran who puts support behind formations like these.
Pursuing common policies with Saudi Arabia on many issues, especially on Yemen, the Syrian civil war and approaches towards Iran, the UAE even attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of this country. According to the website titled Middle East Eye, an influent official of the regime, Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces gave strong support to Mohammad bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in order to enthrone him. It has also been stated that, while engaging in activities before USA, he has suggested that Saudi Arabia should support Selman, end Wahhabism's influence in the country and establish strong communication channels with Israel.
It has also been indicated that if the effect of political support from the most influential name of UAE is also considered, Selman has expressed to his inner circle that he will reach the goal of being king till the end of 2016. It has also been pointed out that Nahyan’s relationships with Abdulaziz, the former and decedent king of Saudi Arabia, are problematic. However, it should be noted that, Anwar Muhammed Gargash, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, has refuted aforementioned news in his twitter account and he has indicated that this news has stemmed from a sympathizer of Muslim Brother, the website titled Middle East Eye, who is troubled with monitoring cooperation in regional policy between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Emirates has also applied severe pressure on Muslim brothers, which is one of the greatest concerns of them, and they have been trying to take them out of political process.
When Middle East Eye’s news about UAE is analyzed, it can be observed that articles are against the UAE. In this context, it contains news such as the UAE’s secret cooperation with Israel, the UAE’s support for coup in Egypt and destabilizing activities of the UAE in North African countries, notably Egypt and Libya. Within the framework of this news, they are accurate considering the monitoring policies of the UAE in the region.
There have been serious attempts of the UAE in order to overthrow the rulership of Muslim Brothers in Egypt and the UAE have supported the establishment of “Temerrüd” movement on the purpose of deepening the state of chaos and forming a social-based front against Morsi and has provided significant support to the military coup carried out by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The UAE has also given a financial support to this country, especially after the coup.
It can be derived from latest news stories that UAE is not going along well with the legitimate government of Yemen. The UAE has designed its Yemen policy on its animosity to the Reform Party. It is asserted that, UAE, who is responsible for activities in the southern Yemen in Saudi-led, “Storm of Darkness operation”, is supporting and organizing Separatist Southern Movement, Hiraq fraction and making its weapons and equipment aid to Southern Salafists groups, instead of mainstream Salafists from the first instant. Meanwhile, it is also reported that there are four brigades under UAE control in Southern Yemen, two of which are composed of UAE soldiers and the rest is composed of the members of the Southern Movement and Salafists and those brigades, which are equipped and trained by the UAE are performing raids to the offices of the Reform Party and arresting the party officials and many civilians due to their alleged links with “Al-Qaida”. Moreover, UAE is also trying to control media organs and NGO’s in the South of Yemen. Many of the media institutions, reporters, journalists and NGOs are financially supported by the UAE. It is clear that the legitimate government is not at case with such activities and policies of the UAE but it is unable to state its discomfort explicitly. Moreover, it does imply its discomfort by asking Qatar to perform an active role in the Southern region of Yemen.
The most conspicuous policy of the UAE is its relations with Sweden and Israel. In its edition dated 13th July 2006 of Sweden daily with mass circulation, Afrobladet, it has been reported that weapon monopoly, Saab, has decided to sell surveillance radar system valuing 11 billion crowns to UAE. In this respect, Firat News Agency’s edition dated 15th July 2006 should be noticed. According to this, in Swedish law and regulations impose a ban on arm sales to violators of human rights or the belligerent countries or parties. However, Sweden, “when it comes to dictators who violate human rights”, doesn’t regard law and regulations as an obstacle and continue to “sell arms to them.” Nevertheless, according to the same report, UAE “ranks first as a country in which there is a dictatorship and UAE does not only violate the most basic human rights, it also play an active role in Yemen war.” In the latest report published by Human Rights Watch, Sweden’s toleration to Saab’s arms sale has been criticized even though it was indicated that coalition powers in which UAE also involves commit war crimes killing and wounding civilians.
UAE's most interesting relationship is with Israel. Despite the fact that the United Arab Emirates does not recognize Israel as a state, developing relation level between the UAE and Israel incommodes many other countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. In November 2015, Haaretz, daily newspaper of Israel, has reported that Israel is planning to open a representative agency, which will point out the diplomatic presence of the country in the UAE. In fact, this news did come as no surprise. Israel had supported that the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which was established to help countries in the use of renewable energy in 2009, should be in the UAE. It is situated in Abu Dhabi now. In 2014, Israeli Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources, spoke of a goal of opening a permanent representative agency to IRENA. Along with these developments, even though Abu Dhabi refuses the recognition of the Israel and supports Palestine, two countries have found themselves in alliance with various regional issues lately. The common concern of both states is Iran’s expanding influence in the region and the rise of radical Sunni groups.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi, in their statement on 13th July2016, have announced the initiation of a system that will cover whole Emirate produce by Israeli security systems cooperation (Falcon Eye). Abu Dhabi Monitoring and Control Center (ADMCC) has explained that new surveillance system “is connecting the cameras located in the buildings and facilities of the Emirate to thousands of other cameras in every part of the city.” In the official statement of Arabian Business, it has been mentioned that Falcon Eye would not only follow movement of persons in public area, but also monitor traffic, which will help officials to control roads. Nevertheless, they did not mention that a former MOSSAD spy and businessman Mati Kochavi was behind the development of Falcon Eye. Kochavi’s Switzerland based company; Asia Global Technologies (AGT) did won the bidding for the development of a large-scale surveillance system for 600 million dollars. Since then, both the powers and number of contracts of Kochavi and his company has been increasing. Haaretz, daily newspaper of Israel, also reported that Kochavi could easily travel to Israel while Israeli citizens were banned to enter the UAE.
Another interesting point in the foreign policy of the UAE is the relation it is trying to build with Pakistan. The UAE, as mentioned above, is trying to build formidable relations with Pakistan through spending some of its wealth on infrastructure in this country. For instance, at latest on 25th of July 2016, UAE-Pakistan Brotherhood Road, financed by Abu Dhabi Development Fund with the cooperation of The Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, was opened. This road with the length of 72 kilometers and width of 9 meters is connecting South and North Waziristan and cost 60,6 million dollars. The number of development projects substantiated in Pakistan by Abu Dhabi Development fund has reached 416.
In summary, despite being a small country, the UAE is increasing its influence in the region by using its existing wealth. When the UAE’S policies are analyzed within the frame of recent developments in the region, it is observed that UAE’s greatest concern is the formations such as Hezbollah or the Muslim Brotherhood. An even growing concern might be the links between them and Iran, who is increasing its influence in the region as well. Because of this, the UAE is supporting coups/chaos in the region’s countries, such as Egypt. It is also important to indicate that UAE is attracting reactions from its potential allies in the region, such as Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, due to these policies it pursues.
