Although the UAE has registered several achievements over the past 12 months such as the hosting of the Formula One race and the opening of the Dubai Metro, it is possible that what has happened outside of our borders has had a greater impact. And one individual is responsible for what will be seen in the future as the most important year in the UAE’s foreign relations to date.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE’s young foreign minister, started the year with visits to Syria to meet President Bashar Al Assad, to Kuwait for the Arab Economic Summit and to Egypt to meet that country’s president, Hosni Mubarak. Then he was on to the US to sign the US-UAE nuclear agreement, to Bonn to speak at the founding summit of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) and to Berlin where the UAE offered to jointly fund an Afghan airport.
In February, Sheikh Abdullah visited Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on a regional tour. He also hosted the foreign ministers of the above states as well as those from Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Yemen and Palestine to discuss issues relating to the Palestinian territories. He then headed a delegation that included UAE businessmen to Minsk, Belarus. In March, Sheikh Abdullah headed the UAE delegation to the Arab-South America Summit in Doha after accompanying the President Sheikh Khalifa to the Arab summit in the same location. He also visited Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, where the UAE financed a major mine-clearing operation. He held bilateral talks in Egypt with the US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton. And in the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah hosted the foreign ministers of Australia and Iran.
In April, Sheikh Abdullah embarked on an unprecedented African tour of Niger, Mali, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Gambia, Nigeria, Chad and Burkina Faso. He then visited Japan for the Pakistan donors’ conference where the UAE pledged $300 million to assist that country.In May, Sheikh Abdullah’s African tour continued with visits to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, Morocco, Liberia, as well as Spain, Lithuania, Finland, Portugal and Lebanon. The foreign minister then appointed four senior aides with political, economic, legal and special affairs portfolios as part of his ministry’s restructuring aimed at “meeting the UAE’s growing foreign relations commitments and interests”. Also in May, Sheikh Abdullah reached an agreement with the French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner to allow Emirati diplomats to be stationed in French embassies in countries, such as many in Africa, where the UAE lacks a diplomatic mission.
In June, Sheikh Abdullah went on an extensive diplomatic and economic tour including South Korea, Brunei, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives as well as visits to Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Macedonia, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Cameroon, Libya, and South Africa.June was a good month for Sheikh Abdullah and his team as their efforts to win international support for the UAE to host Irena succeeded when the UAE was awarded the honour in a meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, beating two major European contenders, Bonn and Vienna.
Despite that achievement Sheikh Abdullah didn’t rest. He continued travelling – to Pakistan and then to Azerbaijan in July. In August, Sheikh Abdullah accompanied Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, on a trip to China. In September, the UAE foreign minister met with his GCC counterparts as well as ministers from Russia and a host of other nations. Sheikh Abdullah addressed the UN General Assembly and highlighted the strategy behind the UAE’s foreign policy. He also joined Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince to meet the US president Barack Obama in Washington.
In October, Sheikh Abdullah travelled to meet the president of Mexico, Philippe Calderón, and then to Cuba, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. Sheikh Abdullah then hosted the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Abu Dhabi for bilateral talks. In November, Sheikh Abdullah took part in the Forum for the Future meeting in Morocco and then accompanied Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, the UAE’s prime minister, on a visit to Britain to meet Gordon Brown before visiting the UAE forces in Afghanistan. This December, Sheikh Abdullah flew to Bahrain for the Manama Dialogue conference and Kuwait for a summit of GCC heads of state as well as meeting the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Sheikh Abdullah also makes it a point to meet the various Arab ambassadors in the states he visits, which reflects the UAE’s balanced pan-Arab foreign policy. Sheikh Abdullah managed to do all this as well as attend the UAE cabinet meetings and host diplomatic guests to the country. Sheikh Abdullah has been supported by a team as diverse and professional as Dr Anwar Gargash, the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, Reem Ibrahim al Hashimi, the UAE Minister of State, Dr Sultan Al-Jaber, the CEO of the Masdar Initiative and Khalid Al Ghaith, the Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs.
Without a doubt the most travelled foreign minister in this young nation’s history, he has set standards that are very tough to follow. Sheikh Abdullah’s youth may have played a part in his relentless efforts to see his country prosper and be represented in the best possible manner. It is clear his determination is what sets him apart and why I believe 2009 is the year of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed.
Company%20profile
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The%20trailblazers
%3Cp%3ESixteen%20boys%20and%2015%20girls%20have%20gone%20on%20from%20Go-Pro%20Academy%20in%20Dubai%20to%20either%20professional%20contracts%20abroad%20or%20scholarships%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20Here%20are%20two%20of%20the%20most%20prominent.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeorgia%20Gibson%20(Newcastle%20United)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20reason%20the%20academy%20in%20Dubai%20first%20set%20up%20a%20girls%E2%80%99%20programme%20was%20to%20help%20Gibson%20reach%20her%20potential.%20Now%20she%20plays%20professionally%20for%20Newcastle%20United%20in%20the%20UK.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMackenzie%20Hunt%20(Everton)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAttended%20DESS%20in%20Dubai%2C%20before%20heading%20to%20the%20UK%20to%20join%20Everton%20full%20time%20as%20a%20teenager.%20He%20was%20on%20the%20bench%20for%20the%20first%20team%20as%20recently%20as%20their%20fixture%20against%20Brighton%20on%20February%2024.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
New Zealand squad
Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
More on Quran memorisation:
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%20four-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starting%20from%20Dh89%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
