Working together
▶ Anniversary for kingdom highlights the bonds and brotherhood between our two nations, writes James Langton
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Taif, Saudi Arabia yesterday. The UAE will hold celebrations for Saudi Arabia’s National Day this week.
Fireworks, illuminated buildings and the inevitable parade of supercars are part of this year’s Saudi National Day celebrations in the UAE, with leaders describing relations as two nations with “one pulse”.
President Sheikh Khalifa yesterday sent a message to Saudi King Salman for the country’s 88th national day.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared a video charting the warmth between the leaders and the people.
He praised the achievements of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and wished that “every year the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would grow closer together”.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, congratulated Riyadh on expanding its global presence and spoke of the two countries growing closer as brothers.
He made his comments in a Twitter post accompanied with pictures of the UAE leaders with King Salman.
Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said that when we “work together, we succeed together” in a post on Twitter.
As part of the festivities, the Burj Khalifa turned green in honour of the Saudi flag, fireworks burst over Yas Island and supercars brought the party to Dubai’s La Mer. Traditional folk dancing was another highlight.
This is the second year in which Saudi Arabia’s national day has formally entered the UAE calendar. Last year, mobile phones displayed “UAE KSA Forever” in place of the usual network name to mark the holiday.
The Twitter hashtag #to-getheralways was accompanied by emojis of King Salman and Prince Mohammed.
These lighthearted fraternal celebrations underline a much deeper message – that relations between the two countries have never been better, and that their shared view of the world is strong.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have a lot in common. Both were born as nations in the 20th century – Saudi Arabia in 1932 and the UAE on December 2, 1971.
They share a common language, faith and culture, while trading links between the two go back centuries. Many UAE families have a Saudi branch, and vice versa.
Both countries are rich in reserves of oil and gas that have made them some of the wealthiest countries in the world. They also understand that economic reforms and diversification are crucial for a prosperous future.
Their relationship has been strengthening since the 1970s, when Sheikh Zayed became the first President of the UAE.
Territorial disputes that marred earlier relations were put to one side in the interest of the common good.
The two stood side-by-side on the oil embargo imposed on the United States for providing support to Israel in the 1972 war.
Nine years later, the formation of the GCC brought together the six countries of the Arabian Gulf to give the region a unified voice.
For its inaugural meeting, Sheikh Zayed, a regular visitor to the kingdom, invited King Khalid and the four other Gulf rulers to Abu Dhabi’s Inter-Continental hotel on May 25, 1981. The street outside the same hotel was in 2014 renamed King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, after the Saudi Ruler at the time.
Behind the formalities, the countries have worked ever closer together on issues with a common interest.
They were allies during the First Gulf War, committing troops for the liberation of Kuwait, while both have been strong voices condemning extremists groups such as ISIS.
But it is perhaps in Yemen where the two countries’ ties have become the strongest. Saudi and the UAE have long been concerned about stability among their neighbours, and those fears came true in September 2014 when Houthi rebels stormed the capital Sanaa and forced out the government.
Fears that Yemen would disintegrate into civil war, with the Houthi rebels backed by Iran, and Al Qaeda gaining ground in the south and east, the two countries formed an unprecedented military alliance to restore legitimate government and stability.
The commitment to that alliance has been forged on the battlefield as the Houthis have been driven steadily back, but at a price paid in blood by the Arab Coalition.
The continuing dispute with Qatar has also brought closer relations. Two years after the accession in 2015 of King Salman, Prince Mohammed was named Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. A dynamic reformer, he has found a supporter in Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
The two obviously share a warm relationship that goes beyond the diplomatic, presenting a unified front on issues such as the dangers of Iranian influence in the region and the diplomatic row with Qatar.
Last year, the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council was created, heralding an era of even closer co-operation between the two countries in areas such as defence, politics and culture.
One of the first acts was an agreement to work together on all forms of crime, including drug trafficking, and the better sharing of information.
With the second meeting of the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council taking place in Jeddah this month, work is under way on 175 projects and initiatives that include a Dh5 billion agriculture investment fund and joint ventures for renewable energy and small and medium-sized businesses.
Together, the two countries have a gross domestic product of US$1 trillion (Dh3.67 trillion), with joint exports ranking as fourth in the world.
The political and economic significance of this relationship is recognised by other world leaders. When Imran Khan, the new prime minister of Pakistan, made his first official trip overseas last week, his hosts were the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
In his visit to Jeddah for the second meeting of the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council this year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed described Saudi Arabia as “our second home”.
“We have a historic opportunity to create an exceptional Arab model of co-operation,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“Our solidarity and unity protect our interests, strengthen our economies and build a better future for our peoples.”
It is perhaps in Yemen where the ties have become the strongest, in a military alliance to restore legitimate government and stability