UAE committed to promoting peace and stability in South Caucasus - Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The United Arab Emirates has always stressed its commitment to promoting peace and stability in the South Caucasus region. Expanding communication projects among countries in the Caucasus serves as a powerful incentive for collective cooperation, achieving mutual interests and eliminating the root causes of conflict, division and escalation, Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, President and Founder of the Emirates Policy Center, told Armenpress within the framework of the Yerevan Dialogue forum.

• What were your primary objectives for attending the Yerevan Dialogue, and how do you think the event contributed to regional diplomacy?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: The Yerevan Dialogue serves as a key platform for discussing regional issues and global challenges, exploring opportunities for development, reducing tensions and strengthening channels of diplomacy and dialogue. I am delighted to be part of this important dialogue and to actively take part in it alongside policy-makers, academics, civil society members and business leaders from around the world.

In light of the numerous conflicts across the globe, these dialogues have become more urgent than ever. It is essential to enhance efforts to establish peace, foster cooperation, promote peaceful coexistence and reinforce pluralism and diversity. By contributing positive ideas that advocate for de-escalation, conflict resolution and the search for common ground, we can prepare for a better future and learn valuable lessons. This is what I want to contribute through my participation in the Yerevan Dialogue.

• How do you see the role of such dialogues in addressing the challenges faced by countries in the region?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: We urgently need platforms like this. Diplomacy and dialogue face significant challenges in the face of conflicts in many regions of the world. Wars harm everyone. Peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is in the best interest of both nations and will promote regional development, cooperation and stability. Dialogue platforms can help draft and propose effective road maps for conflict resolution and achieving win-win outcomes for all parties. These platforms also play a key role in enlisting regional and international support to advance peace initiatives by fostering trust and mutual understanding, offering international guarantees and addressing disagreements through methodological analysis and balanced, objective and fair approaches.

• What were your impressions of Armenia during your visit? How do you assess the current state of relations between Armenia and the UAE?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: Armenia is a beautiful country with many promising opportunities. Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Armenia go back to more than 25 years, marked by a strong desire and ambition from both nations to strengthen ties in trade, investment, technology, agriculture, environment, energy, transportation, education, culture, tourism and labor. The mutual decision to waive pre-entry visa requirements between the two countries reflects the depth of their relationship.

On the sidelines of COP28, held in the UAE, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the UAE Cyber Security Council and the Armenian Ministry of High-Tech Industry to enhance cooperation in the field of cyber security. Many additional areas of collaboration between the two countries exist, fostering optimism about the potential to expand this partnership.

It is vital for both countries to consolidate their economic partnership, develop mechanisms to enhance trade and support the pivotal role of the private sector in enhancing economic cooperation between the UAE and Armenia.

• How do you envision the role of the UAE in fostering stability and cooperation in the region?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: The UAE embassy in Yerevan has consistently called for “consolidating people-to-people connections” and fostering mutual cultural understanding between the UAE and Armenia. It has emphasized keenness to build bridges to facilitate promising exchanges and partnerships between our two countries. The UAE adopts a vision in foreign policy and international relations based on the idea that stability and communication lead to prosperity. As such, the UAE advocates for de-escalation, conflict prevention and the pursuit of economic diplomacy and dialogue over military solutions. It is essential to adopt approaches that promote cooperation and the building of bridges, not barriers.

Last April, the UAE strongly supported confidence-building and peace-enhancement measures between Armenia and Azerbaijan, expressing hope that this key step would strengthen communication and dialogue, while contributing to the consolidation of stability and constructive cooperation in the Caucasus. The UAE has always underscored its close and distinguished ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan and stressed its commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region. The UAE firmly believes in the power of cooperation, dialogue and bridge-building to peacefully resolve disputes.

Expanding communication projects among countries in the Caucasus serves as a powerful incentive for collective cooperation, achieving mutual interests and eliminating the root causes of conflict, division and escalation.

• What are the key areas where you believe the UAE can play a significant role in promoting peace and development?

Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: The UAE’s growing interests in the Caucasus, combined with its strong relationships with key international actors in this region, such as the US, Russia and Turkiye, position Abu Dhabi to champion peace, stability and prosperity. This involvement contributes to a better future for the region, something that would eventually serve the interests of the UAE. Moreover, the UAE’s investments in the Caucasus underscore its commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to foster sustainable peace.

The UAE’s investments in the Caucasus in the fields of digital infrastructure and its efforts to share expertise in the field of digital economy are just a few examples of its broader initiative to enhance communication projects, build bridges and prepare for the future. By sharing its experience in governance, public administration, economic development, investment diversification and partnership building, the UAE aims to overcome disputes and contribute to a better future for the peoples of this region.