Abu Dhabi: The UAE has enjoyed considerable success in its history, including in the sphere of diplomacy and international relations, with the country having managed to establish itself globally as a reliable and trustworthy country. Now, the nation’s next generation of diplomats are hoping to carry on that legacy.
The prospective diplomats are currently undergoing their studies and training at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA).
The academy was founded in 2014 by the leadership of the UAE with the goal of educating and grooming the next generation of Emirati diplomats to support the continued diplomatic initiatives of the UAE.
Shakhboot Al Nahyan, 26, one of the current students at the EDA, said he chose the path of becoming a diplomat as he viewed it as a good opportunity of standing up for his country.
“For me, the choice of being a diplomat started with my interest in the UAE’s broad relations in the Gulf region, the Arab world, and internationally. I chose the path of being a diplomat because I believe that it will allow me to stand for my country and its positions,” he said.
“There are many ways we can defend our country and stand for it, and being a diplomat is certainly one of them. It allows us to present the UAE to the rest of the world and show them who Emiratis really are,” he added.
Al Nahyan said that he was keen on building on the success of previous Emirati leaders like the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding father.
“I wouldn’t say that I feel pressure, but rather describe it as a heavy load because our founding father Shaikh Zayed has created something very special with the UAE. As a leader, Shaikh Zayed always initiated policies to approach other countries with good relations, help other countries when they need help, and so we have to realise the importance of Shaikh Zayed and his role in designing the UAE’s foreign policy.
“My goal as a diplomat is to continue the legacy of Shaikh Zayed and to protect it,” he added.
Al Nahyan also noted that a successful diplomat must possess several characteristics, including honesty if they wanted to succeed.
“To be a good diplomat in my personal understanding is to first of all know about your country and where it stands. After that, it is important for the diplomat to have integrity and honesty.”
Maha Al Hebsi, 23, who is also aspiring to be a future diplomat for the UAE, said the field of diplomacy brought several and different types of challenges to deal with, but she was looking forward to the task.
“Diplomacy is very challenging because as a diplomat, you are representing your country and not just yourself. The decisions you take not only reflect on yourself but the whole country and its people, and this makes it a very big challenge,” she said.
“The other thing is that as a diplomat, you have to be prepared to communicate with other countries and different perspectives and to handle all of those different perspectives. As a diplomat, you are not simply representing your country but having to deal with so many different issues. Sometimes, you will be put in a situation where you have to quickly solve a problem and so you have to always be ready,” she added.
Al Hebsi said that one of her goals as a diplomat would be to bring peace and stability to the region.
“Of late, the Middle East has been going through some instability and so I am motivated to try and bring back stability and peace. My focus will be on the Middle East and what are the threats it faces, and I want to come up with solutions to help with these issues.”
Al Hebsi also added that she was happy to represent a positive example of an empowered Arab Muslim woman.
“I believe it’s very important to have female Muslim diplomats, it sends a very strong message in the current climate of Islamophobia. Having a female diplomat changes the picture and negative stereotypes that people have of the Middle East,” she said.
“The UAE has always been empowering women even all the way back in the time of Shaikh Zayed. Our country has many female diplomats who represent the country, and so we have always had this legacy of female empowerment and now we want to spread that message to the rest of the world,” Al Hebsi added.
Amna Fikri, 25, said UAE leaders like Shaikh Zayed and Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, inspired her to pursue a career in the diplomatic field.
“Shaikh Zayed and his wife Shaikha Fatima have always been an inspiration for me because of their vision and how they brought the UAE up together. Both of them have had strong roles not only locally but regionally and internationally, and their legacy has been spread worldwide,” she said.
Fikri also said that she has always been fascinated by different cultures, making it a natural decision for her to pursue diplomacy.
“I have always been inspired by other cultures, learning from them and appreciating the different cultural diversities among different countries. Through the field of international diplomacy, it will give me the opportunity to send a message of peace, prosperity, and friendly relations with all of these different cultures and countries.”
Explaining what makes a good diplomat, Fikri said prospective diplomats should come from a solid foundation, knowing about their country’s history in order to properly serve its vision and values.
“I think it’s really important before you develop or enhance your skills for the field of diplomacy that you first and foremost know who you are, where you come from, and what is the culture and history of your country,” she said.
“If you appreciate all of these things and have a solid knowledge about them, you will be able to move forward and enhance your skills to benefit your country as a diplomat.
“As we live in a very challenging world, a diplomat also needs to be resilient and courageous to take tough decisions,” she added.
