Flag Day focused minds across the UAE on what it means to serve this country – whether on the front lines against rebel forces in Yemen or at home steering our development to ensure the next generation of Emiratis continue to have the full array of opportunities. This was particularly timely for the second detachment of Emirati troops who are about to deploy in Yemen.
They will have appreciated the outstanding example already set by the troops they will replace, who have worked with the Saudi-led coalition and loyalist Yemeni forces to liberate Aden and to claw back much of the south into the control of the internationally recognised government. As we know all too well – and as we remembered through the flag-raising ceremonies yesterday – this progress has come at a high cost for dozens of families whose sons became martyrs.
That these soldiers risked their lives seeking to restore liberty, stability and opportunity for the citizens of another Arab country reflects the ideals and values on which the UAE is based. It is not enough to foster a haven of peace and tolerance just within our borders. When we see fellow Arabs facing the risk of despotism, we will not stand idly by.
As Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, told the opening of the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate this week, a swift return to the legitimate government in Yemen is needed to avoid it becoming a haven for Iran-backed militia similar to Hizbollah. That in a nutshell is why our foreign policy has to consider the region as a whole rather than trying to withdraw into the silo of the UAE or even the GCC. In stark contrast to our policy of wishing to cultivate a stable and prosperous region for the good of all those who live here, countries like Iran are actively trying to foment trouble for their own benefit – and to the great detriment of people such as the millions of ordinary Yemenis.
Dr Gargash made an equally interesting point when he noted that future threats to our well-being and our values will include ones that we cannot yet envisage. This is a prescient observation and a call on the UAE to remain nimble in its thinking so we can meet whatever challenges come our way. Few would have predicted the Houthis’ surge through Yemen, and similarly unorthodox threats will emerge in the future. But as Flag Day showed, these are challenges we are resolved to overcome.
