Dubai: The Operation Storm of Resolve will not solely resort to military intervention in Yemen, but will help in the reconstruction of the country.
“We need to guarantee security in Yemen, and the development process will follow,” said Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council Affairs at the Arab Media Forum.
Referring to the multiple stages of the ‘Operation Storm of Resolve’ initiative, Gargash confirmed that getting Yemen out of its crisis will not only be done militarily, but that priorities such as security and controlling the Al Houthi situation precede others.
“The Yemen crisis today is subject to an immediate remedy,” he told AMF
While direct assistance is present in Yemen, there is an urgent need to open the ports in the cities of Hudaidah and Aden for emergency assistance. “We can send more assistance by sea than air, and we can deliver a bigger quantity of aid on a ship than a plane,” said Gargash.
Describing the UAE’s role in the Yemen crisis as a ‘supportive role’ to Saudi Arabia, Gargash pointed out that the GCC’s objectives stand clear. “We do not want any regional intervention by groups such as Hezbollah. Our goal in Yemen is not military, but our mission focuses on diplomacy, support and rescue efforts.”
Gargash stressed that the UAE’s role is essentially a partnership.
“We are a member of the Arab team that represents moderation, and does not want interference in the region’s internal affairs. Part of our Arab responsibility is not to allow intervention from sectarians.”
The Egypt experience
The approach used by the UAE to deal with the Yemen crisis will include different tools which were gained from the Egypt experience.
Gargash said that strong UAE-Egypt cooperation dates back to the historical relationship between the two countries during Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s rule. The ongoing cooperation in development projects in Egypt will take place in the next two years targeting the weakest sectors in the country. “Egypt is significant in the Arab world, and we are convinced that Arabs will not rise without Egypt,” said Gargash.
Referring to multiple conflicts taking place in the Arab world, from Syria and Palestine, to Yemen and Iraq, Gargash stressed that halting the UAE’s development is not the solution to any of these crises.
He pointed out that the UAE realises that difficulty of the situation in the Arab world, but it is necessary for the country’s business cycle to continue.
“The UAE has strong relations and financial and political resources, so our influence is strong,” said Gargash.
He referred to some of the UAE’s developments over the past decade, which include eradicating literacy by 96 per cent, increasing the life expectancy of the average citizen to 70-76 years old, and the empowerment of women educationally and in the workplace.
He said the country’s development and progress is not superficial and does not stop at the promotional aspect, which includes the UAE holding numerous world records such as the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, and the biggest mall, Dubai Mall.
With the UAE home to over 200 nationalities, it has become a hub for youth not only from the Middle East but from around the world. Gargash explained that Arab youth seek an environment that provides them with security, stability, job opportunities, and personal freedom to raise their families.
“We should work in the best interests of our values as Arabs, and we should bring back the respect for the Arab state and rules of law in the Arab region,” he said.
