BRATISLAVA, Slovakia: The UAE journey in diplomatic affairs is a success, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Anwar Gargash said on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC2018 Bratislava Forum.
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency, WAM, Dr. Gargash explained that soft power for UAE diplomacy is a ‘door opener’ in many ways. "It opens doors to various parties, helps communicate what the UAE is about, especially on issues concerning our stance on radicalisation and extremism."
- Dr Anwar Gargash| UAE Minister
Despite the nation’s ability to extract influence of soft power, the Minister said, "We, as the foreign ministry, understand that we need to do more."
"What is important here is our public and cultural diplomacy," he explained, adding that this not only involves the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, but also other UAE institutions and bodies to spread the nation’s message.
Participating UAE delegations in international forums like GLOBSEC2018 is reflective of this strategy.
"Various foreign ministers and diplomats know the UAE," he continued, "which further adds to exchanging knowledge about the country and its plans and strategies.
The UAE has projected its soft power and diplomacy efforts across various foreign policy pursuits.
"So then how does the UAE really harness soft power and move it from this mass into direct and immediate messaging? This is evidenced in the UAE topping the list of nations in which the youth of the Arab world want to live and work in," Dr. Gargash said.
"Year upon year, the UAE places first in the Arab Youth Survey, reflecting real experiences and opportunities for youth, families, work opportunities, and a safe, secure and fair environment to flourish."
Results like these reflect that the "stock that we have in soft power is huge," he affirmed.
Launched in 2017, the UAE Soft Power Strategy aims to increase the country’s global reputation abroad by highlighting its identity, heritage, culture and contributions of the UAE to the world.
