Research Question
Does the production of oil and other energy sources in the UAE strengthen and direct foreign policy and security?
Introduction
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country found in the Gulf region. It borders Oman and Saudi Arabia, among other nations. It is a key member and contributor to the MENA union that brings together Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In recent years, the UAE’s presence in the MENA region and world has been emphasized, owing to its growth in wealth. Much of this wealth is attributed to oil and gas export. Since oil was discovered in the country in 1966, the UAE has become a significant exporter of petroleum globally. Each year, the UAE produces nearly 68 billion barrels of oil, most of which is exported to non-oil producing countries. Besides oil, the UAE controls large deposits of natural gas. As Dargin (2014) explains, the country is the sixth major producer of natural gas globally. These vast resources grant the country a huge influence on the international oil market and hence international politics. However, the UAE has not always been a wealthy nation. Before the discovery of oil and gas, the nation was mainly a subsistence economy.
Notwithstanding, the country was still engaged in trading with the outside world. Its strategic location at the gulf’s coast made it accessible, thus encouraging foreign trade. This factor would later prove useful in facilitating the export of oil and gas to other countries.
According to Al‐Suwaidi (2011), the UAE’s prospects changed for the better in 1973 after the world oil prices experienced a sharp rise. This period was occasioned by the fact that oil was becoming an increasingly important resource. Industries such as automobiles had begun expanding in size to the extent of causing the oil demand to rise. With its rising wealth, the UAE government decided to modernize the country and increase its presence in the MENA region. Today, the country’s powerful economy makes it a major shaper of policy in the region and worldwide. An illustration of this position is the recent involvement of the UAE in the Egyptian crisis that led to the dismissal of Hosni Mubarak. After Mubarak’s ouster, the Muslim Brotherhood took the reins of power to the UAE government’s disappointment. As such, the UAE took a key role in the defeat of the Muslim Brotherhood and the subsequent rise to Fatah al-Sisi’s power.
Research Objectives
This research examines whether oil and other energy sources affect the UAE’s foreign policy and security. From the time oil was discovered in the country, its involvement in world politics increased significantly. It has continued to do so over the last 40 years. As well, the country’s military has become stronger, a sign that the country is more secure relative to how it was in the past. The UAE is located in a conflict-prone region, which makes national security a constant cause for concern. Despite these developments only happening after oil and gas were discovered, little research has been conducted to demonstrate the correlation between these resources and the country’s increased powerfulness. Notwithstanding, the researcher seeks to explore the few available studies that touch on the subject. At the end of this research, the research should be able to conclude whether oil and gas have a shaping influence on the country’s foreign policy and security.
Thesis Statement
The researcher strongly believes that oil and natural gas have transformed how the UAE interacts with other countries (foreign relations). As well, the researcher believes that these resources have contributed to the strengthening of the country’s security. Hence, the production of oil and other energy sources in the UAE strengthens and directs its foreign policy and security.
Significance of the Study
As already observed, the UAE plays a key role in directing foreign policy in the MENA region. Given this position, it is essential to understand the major factors that dictate the country’s foreign policy approach. Such information would be useful in shaping the country’s future policy. Importantly, the researcher will offer useful insights into the UAE’s ministry of foreign affairs concerning important decisions made every day touching on foreign policy. An effective foreign policy would be critical in pursuing the UAE’s international goals in the face of increasing globalization. Therefore, this paper prepares policymakers to advance the key interests of the country on the international stage.
Concepts
An important concept for this study will be “foreign policy.” Foreign policy may be loosely defined as a laid-down framework that dictates how a country relates to other economies. Countries are sovereign entities that interact based on the agreeableness of their common interests. In other words, a country will only relate to another one based on how the other foreign nation’s policy favors its strategic goals. This claim is significant when it comes to designing a suitable foreign policy that a country must put forward to address its strategic interests and international goals. Overall, factors that influence foreign policy development include domestic concerns, the policy/actions of other countries, and the geographical location of a nation. Importantly, foreign policy is designed to safeguard the security and defense of the country concerned. In the case of the UAE, strong relationships are built with countries that purchase their oil. The UAE has also forged major partnerships with nations that can help secure the country from external aggression.
The concept of “security” should be understood to imply the domestic safety of the UAE. Being located in the conflict-torn Middle East, the defense is a major concern for the small nation. Thus, it is expected that a sizeable chunk of the country’s revenue would be spent in securing the country from threats. Presently, Daesh (ISIS) persisting threat has piled pressure on the Middle East nations to safeguard their borders from being infiltrated by Islamic terrorists. It would appear that the UAE has succeeded in maintaining its territory free of terrorism, which would otherwise lead to drastic effects. This goal has been achieved because the nation relies enormously on tourism and aviation, two industries that cannot function effectively in the face of terrorism. This research hypothesizes that much of the revenue used to strengthen the UAE’s defense is obtained from the proceeds of exporting oil and gas.
The concept of “national wealth” is relevant to this research because the research seeks to establish a possible nexus between the UAE’s expanding wealth and its increased presence in the international arena. What happens in practice is that wealthy nations tend to come up with foreign policies that favor them. Conversely, poorer nations must shape their foreign policies on a compromise that appeases the wealthier nations. Given the above observation, the researcher contends that national wealth directly impacts the nature of a country’s foreign policy.
Methodology
The research will be conducted through a case study methodology whereby the researcher will analyze both primary and secondary scholarly resources on the UAE’s foreign policy and national security. To achieve this goal, the researcher will carry out a library search for scholarly publications using the following keywords: “foreign policy,” “national security/defense,” and “oil/gas.” The aim will be to obtain a range of relevant sources and then narrow down to a handful of them crucial to this study. One advantage of case study research over statistical research is that it allows the researcher to narrow down a specific aspect of an entire research field.
In this case, the researcher’s interest concerns how oil and gas shape the UAE’s foreign policy and national security. In other words, in this case, relevant materials would be those that sought to answer how and why these energy sources directly influence the UAE’s foreign relations and defense. Case studies dwell on a contextual analysis of a few but informative events or conditions, including their relationship. In the present study, the researcher will examine real-life events such as the UAE’s actions at the regional and international stage and their relationship with the nation’s oil and gas wealth. This goal will be made possible by conducting a literature review on the area using primary and secondary sources to formulate and attempt to answer the study’s research questions.
Analysis
This part of the paper examines previous studies on the subject of the UAE’s foreign policy and security to demonstrate the correlation between the country’s vast energy wealth and its foreign policy. The country’s rather dramatic shift from being moderate on the international scene to now being active has been the subject of discussion. As a result, various scholars have weighed in on the subject, citing different reasons for this transformation in its foreign relations and concern about its security. One explanation emerges most convincing: the wealth obtained from exporting fuel has turned the nation into a key player on the international scene. Among the countries that have found interest in the UAE, some need the country’s oil while others wish to benefit from the petrodollars. In turn, the UAE benefits from being able to assert its influence on these countries. For the more powerful nations such as the western countries, the UAE benefits from collaborative military engagements and arms sales.
Almezaini (2012) has dwelt on elaborating on the Gulf nation’s foreign policy and strategic goals and how these goals are pursued. Particularly, the UAE government uses the concept of foreign aid to expand its influence in the Middle East and North African region. Some major beneficiaries of the UAE’s foreign aid include Palestine and Pakistan. According to Almezaini (2012), the UAE’s prosperous oil trade business provides the country with surplus revenue that is then channeled to fund its interests abroad. Similarly, Kamrava (2012) argues that the nation’s expansive wealth facilitates the UAE’s involvement in furthering the MENA region’s security. An illustration is a recent intervention in the Egyptian crisis, where the UAE government dedicated billions of dollars to stabilize the Egyptian economy. Of all MENA member nations, the UAE remains the biggest contributor to the post-crisis Egyptian economy, which is by itself an illustration of how the country’s petrodollars are influencing its regional and international presence.
Aly and Monem (2014) estimate the UAE’s budget in the Egyptian crisis at $ 4.9 billion. Thus, the UAE surpassed Saudi Arabia as the biggest contributor to foreign missions among the MENA nations. It seems that the UAE is asserting itself as the top major power in the region. A recent conflict with Qatar in which the UAE emerged the victor depicts a nation driven by the desire to assert itself among peers. In the conflict, the two nations disagreed over their respective views on extreme terrorism, with the UAE accusing Qatar of condoning terrorist activities. Naturally, the UAE is opposed to extreme Islamist views, which are seen as bad for business by the entrepreneurial nation. In the end, Qatar lost in the battle for supremacy, as witnessed in one of the fronts where this ‘diplomat war’ was being waged: Egypt. While Qatar backed the Muslim Brotherhood in the recently concluded Egyptian rebellion, the UAE went for more democratic leadership, being that of Al-Sisi.
Various scholars believe that the crisis served as the turning point for the previously neutral nation. In many ways, the Arab Spring exerted pressure on all Arab governments. It prompted some to take drastic measures to prevent a replica of their soil (Bahgat, 2015). The UAE’s response was through financial and diplomatic intervention to help in restoring the Egyptian economy. The country spent billions on a mission to oust Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Egyptian leader. The Muslim Brotherhood has been linked with terror activities both in Egypt and abroad, a factor that caused various leaders, among them His Highness Sheikh Zayed, to oppose his leadership. The UAE’s triumph in Egypt came when Morsi was overthrown. In his position, Al-Sisi took leadership of the North African nation. Hence, Al-Sisi’s ascension to power and Egypt’s increasing stability reflect the UAE’s successful foreign policy.
Another area where the UAE has asserted itself internationally regards the war against extreme Islamism. As explained earlier, the country thrives on highly sensitive industries such as tourism and aviation. This means that any slight insecurity could cause a major drop in business prospects. An example is where the Emirates Airline Company was recently forced to cancel its flights over Turkey and other war-prone Middle East zones. Redirecting the routes cost the airline huge overheads. Also, unrest in the region has been blamed for a drop in the number of tourists visiting the country. In light of these situations, the UAE has remained dedicated to condemning terrorism that has become synonymous with the Middle East. So far, the country has succeeded in securing its territory from terror attacks on its soil. This goal has been made possible through well-equipped military and trained personnel. In other words, the UAE is using oil revenue to fight terror activities in the region (Rieger, 2012). A major ally of the UAE in the fight against Islamic terrorism in the United States.
The UAE aligns itself with nations that are pursuing common goals, be they economic or political. Presently, the country’s major allies are other oil-producing nations within the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). According to Barthel and Vignal (2014), the UAE plays an important role in the oil trading body. Through its financial influence, the country has been backing decisions to control the output oil from the region. Reducing production is believed to be capable of stabilizing the otherwise volatile oil market (Barthel & Vignal, 2014). Cheap oil (due to overproduction) hurts the economies of oil-producing nations. Thus, being a key member of OPEC offers an opportunity for the UAE to bargain fair trade deals for itself and its commercial partners. Numerous investors flock the country to invest in one or several promising industries, including tourism, aviation, and, more importantly, the oil sector. Through foreign investments in the UAE, including the country’s shares abroad, the country has successfully spread the influence of its foreign policy across continents.
The UAE is using its economic muscle to safeguard the market for its oil. It is evident that the UAE’s interests in marketing its oil shape its foreign policy. Further, the UAE maintains close ties with its oil buyers, including India, the United States, and recently, Russia. This move is adopted to ensure a stable market for the UAE’s oil and gas, particularly in recent times when oil prices are fluctuating too frequently. Additionally, the country seeks opportunities to invest the oil proceeds abroad to stimulate trade. Either way, the UAE has succeeded in designating itself as a center stage for international commerce, an aspect that has had a direct influence on the country’s foreign policy (Sulaymān, 2007). Interestingly, the UAE’s major trading partners double up as nations with vast military capabilities. This observation brings out other important facets of the UAE’s foreign policy: defense and security.
National security is taken seriously in the UAE, majorly because of the country’s location in the conflict-torn Middle East. This claim can be illustrated by the fact that about 6.5 percent of the country’s GDP is channeled to the military. This focus on security has pushed the UAE into forming security deals with superpowers such as the US and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the country is a member of the Gulf Countries Corporation (GCC), a regional body that maintains a joint military to safeguard its security. As his Highness, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan once stated, “We are building an Army not with the purpose of aggression or fighting another country, not for eventual expansion, but merely for self-defense” (Yakheek, 2003, p.14). The above statement illustrates the government’s dedication to safeguarding national security.
Presently, the UAE government faces the pressure to protect its oil and gas reserves, a situation that can form easy targets by Daesh fighters. Oil and gas production facilities in the country are classified as critical infrastructure. A section of the UAE military titled Critical Infrastructure Coastal Patrol Agency (CNIA) is charged with safeguarding the oil and gas facilities, among other things. The energy sector (with emphasis on oil and gas) of the UAE forms the chief source of livelihood since it contributes to about 25 percent of the national economy. Efforts are in place to diversify the economy, hence avoiding over-relying on oil (Cohen, Joutz, & Loungani, 2011). However, the mission is yet to be fully realized, meaning that oil and gas are simply the most important sources of livelihood for the UAE. For this reason, the government is contemplating control systems to protect the oil and gas facilities. In this sense, it is correct to argue that oil and gas in the UAE have led to the strengthening of defense and security.
The expansion in size and capability of the UAE military is another area that demonstrates the impact of oil and gas on security. It has increased in size over the last several years, particularly in the post-Arab Spring era. For a hardly present country in the international state, the UAE has undergone a major transformation. Recently, the UAE government has been engaged in arming its military by acquiring sophisticated weapons, including fighter jets and missiles (Young, 2014). In August 2014, the UAE military joined their Egyptian counterparts in bombing Islamist militias threatening to capture Tripoli. More recently, the UAE and Egypt have intensified their military collaboration exercises, including joint drills and military training (Sgouridis, 2013). The otherwise small Gulf nation’s show of mighty is made possible by the vast wealth acquired from oil and gas. As Bremmer (2014) explains, the UAE military’s weaponry is rather costly and that a wealthy nation can only afford it. In 2013, the UAE’s military was the 15th largest in the world by the size of the expenditure (Korotayev, Issaev, & Shishkina, 2016). In the Gulf region, the UAE’s military budget is only second to Saudi Arabia’s at about $14 billion.
The recent military expansion by the UAE is reflective of the country’s independent foreign policy. While the nation engages joint military activities with the US’s likes, recent developments have seen the UAE attempt to chart an independent military path. For instance, when the UAE and Egypt decided to launch joint air strikes into Libya, neither of the countries bothered to inform the US, despite the latter being a key military partner of the UAE. As such, the UAE is determined to further its national security with or without military partners. Luckily, the country’s burgeoning economy allows room for the acquisition of sophisticated weapons and maintains a large army to safeguard its seven emirates. Presently, the UAE has an army of about 65000-trained military personnel. This military is large for a small nation, thus further illustrating its dedication to national defense. To sustain the large military personnel, some of which are expatriates, the government must rely on the revenue earned from exporting petroleum.
Conclusion
Since the UAE began exporting oil and gas, its presence worldwide, especially in the MENA region, became quite pronounced. The country has participated in international missions, including the recent Egyptian crisis that led to Al-Sisi’s ascension to power. The purpose of this paper has been to demonstrate that much of UAE’s increased international presence can be attributed to the vast wealth acquired from exporting oil and gas. The researcher also maintains that oil and gas have boosted the country’s national security amid the increasing potential threat by armed terror groups operating in the region. Establishing a close nexus between these energy sources and the UAE’s foreign relations and national security is important to policymakers because understanding the factors that influence these two elements will lead to more informed decisions regarding both areas.
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