Local Press: Putin's UAE Visit Speaks To Longstanding Ties That Run Deep

Local Press: Putin's UAE visit speaks to longstanding ties that run deep

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Oct, 2019) A local newspaper has said that the UAE and Russian flags have lined Abu Dhabi’s Corniche since Saturday as the two nations celebrate long-standing ties ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival on Tuesday. It is Mr. Putin’s second official visit to Abu Dhabi. During his last visit in 2007, he was presented with the Order of Zayed, the country's highest honour.

Mr. Putin is travelling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE on his middle Eastern tour, where he will meet His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

"His visit is testament to the close relations between the Gulf countries and Russia, with strategic interests and economic ties bringing Moscow and the UAE closer," said The National in an editorial on Monday.

Bilateral trade reached AED12.5 billion last year, with more than 3,000 Russian companies registered in the country. The mutual interests between the two countries were cemented in a declaration of strategic partnership that was signed last year. The pact covered politics, security, the economy and culture and has since given impetus to a more comprehensive approach to Emirati-Russian ties.

That relationship bore fruit in August with the Aqdar World Summit, organised by the UAE, held in Moscow and attended by a large delegation of Emirati ministers, including H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. Col Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mansoori, the summit’s general co-ordinator, stated that the Primary goal of the initiative was for "Emirati and Russian organisations to learn from one another". Mr. Putin’s visit is expected to result in the signing of 15 agreements in various fields such as nuclear power, oil and the environment.

Beyond the economic, political and strategic bonds that tie the two countries together, Russia and the UAE enjoy strong cultural ties as well. About 100,000 Russian speakers live in the UAE and tourism flourishes between the two nations. Emiratis are granted visas on arrival in Russia and since 2017, Russians landing in the Emirates have been granted free, automatic 30-day visas. As a result, some one million Russian tourists visit the UAE annually, compared to just 600,000 three years ago.

Mr. Putin’s visit also coincides with the homecoming of a national hero, as Hazza Al Mansoori returns to the UAE. Maj Al Mansoori made history by becoming the first Emirati to travel to the International Space Station last week. The mission was fuelled by a combination of Russian expertise and technology and Emirati determination. It was with the support and knowledge of the Russian space industry that he was able to board the ISS after travelling on a Soyuz rocket that blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a Kazakh spaceport leased to Russia.

"Maj Al Masoori’s mission proved that international collaboration is key to achieving great feats, while making his nation proud and, hopefully, inspiring young Arabs to follow in his steps. It could also pave the way for more fruitful partnerships in space technology between Russia and the UAE and aid the advancement of science and space exploration" added the editorial comment.

"From space technology to regional politics and energy deals, the UAE and Russia have a long history of collaborating that will no doubt be renewed and improved on during Mr. Putin’s upcoming visit, taking both nations to new heights," concluded the Abu Dhabi-based daily.