The UK and the UAE have historic ties that go back more than 100 years, a relationship that is only strengthening with the passage of time according to Edward Oakden, the UK ambassador to the UAE.
The recent visit of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, to the UAE to promote academic, cultural and higher education initiatives between the UAE and UK has reiterated the close ties between the two countries, which have shared a strong relationship for more than 100 years. Speaking of the long standing links between the UK and the UAE, Edward Oakden, Ambassador of the UK to the UAE, says: "It is enormously exciting to be here at a time of such tremendous change, when new cities, and in many ways a new society, is taking shape before our eyes. It is a privilege to be able to contribute to that process. The UAE has made itself an economic hub between East and West, as well as an increasingly important cultural centre for the region.
It is in so many respects an example of what a successful Middle East can become." The size of the British community is estimated to be more than 100,000 in Dubai and the northern emirates and more than 20,000 in Abu Dhabi (and those who still haven't registered with the British Embassy, can do so at www.britishembassy.gov.uk/uae). "British people come here for a variety of reasons, including tourism. There were more than a million British tourists last year.
Happily, British residents are here for a longer period. Most come for professional reasons. I continue to be struck by how often I meet British people here who say they had come for two or three years, and ended up staying 20 or 30!," says Oakden.
The UAE is the UK's largest civil export market in the Middle East, both to service the enormous economic development here and to contribute to the UAE's extensive re-export business in the region.
"To reflect both the volume of actual trade and the potential for it to grow further, the British Government decided last year to make the UAE one of our 10 strategic commercial partners for the next five years, alongside the likes of China and India. This gives some idea of the importance of the market to us.
Specifically, UK exports to the UAE stand at around £3 billion, imports at around £1.1 billion," says Oakden. There are about 1,500 companies registered with the British Business Groups in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to Oakden: "There are various ways of classifying our most important companies, whether the top 100, the top 250 or the top 500.
"When we did a survey sometime back, we found that most of the top 500 British companies were active here. There are all of the big names that you would expect to see – BP, Shell, Rolls Royce, International Power, all of the big high street banks, construction companies such as Atkins, Mott MacDonald and KBR, architects such as Fosters, Benoy and extensive representation from the big British retailers, not to mention The London Times newspaper. It is invidious to mention even these, because there are so many hundreds of others..." The goods and services which the UK exports to the UAE reflect in their scope and diversity the rapid development and sophistication of the UAE market. "There is a strong activity in the oil and gas, power and utilities sectors and in the construction sector too.
But there is also huge strength activity across the range of financial services, including the fast developing Islamic finance sector, drawing on the tremendous strength of the city of London. And there is an enormous retail presence, as everyone sees as they walk round the shopping malls and find most of the names you will also see on British high streets.
Another important area is what one might call intellectual property, where many British architects are contributing to the wonderful new buildings we are seeing emerge across the seven emirates, and many British law firms are helping to process the transactions which make these happen," said Oakden.
The British Embassy in the UAE has large commercial sections in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi to support the British business community in all of its activities. "Our consular staff responds to the needs of the extensive British community here.
"Our visa section helps welcome to the UK the nearly half a million visits from the UAE to the UK each year (as you may know, London is often affectionately referred to here as the eighth emirate). The British Council has an extensive programme to teach English as well as to promote cultural activities in the UAE.
And of course the Embassy also supports the important relationship between our two governments, across the range of political, defence, security and law enforcement co-operation.
"As a result, we have more staff working in the embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai than any other Middle Eastern country bar Baghdad," said Oakden.
According to the Ambassador, the relationship between the two countries will be just as strong under Gordon Brown as under his predecessors. "One of the joys of being in the UAE is that British art and culture are doing a great deal to promote themselves, in addition to our own efforts. Many will have seen, for example, the important British presence at Art Dubai recently; and many will have enjoyed the wonderful concerts given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra last month as part of the Abu Dhabi Music Festival. In January, the Embassy was delighted to join with a number of leading UK companies active in the UAE to bring one of the Europe's most distinguished Classical Baroque Orchestras that gave four wonderful concerts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain, and was also able to reach out to a number of schools and colleges for special needs. "This British presence in the arts and culture sector is one in which we shall see a really major growth in the next few years."
On the lighter side
Outside the office, Ambassador Oakden's main interests are running, swimming and mastering an ever-growing pile of books on politics and history which sit accusingly on a table waiting to be read. His wife, Ana, worked as the diplomatic correspondent for Spain's El Mundo publication, and as their London correspondent, before coming to Abu Dhabi. They have three daughters.
