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Nearly a year after the Abraham Accords led to the first Negev Forum aimed at promoting security, prosperity and stability in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates will host in Abu Dhabi the third steering committee meeting of the conclave of six foreign ministers.
Officials from Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, UAE and US at the task force meeting – amid ongoing complex regional and international developments – global economic slowdown, Russia-Ukraine war, growing tensions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories , the lack of progress in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and instability elsewhere in the region.
While some analysts viewed last March’s ministerial forum as symbolic, an important outcome was the announcement that it would become a permanent rotating platform, further reinforced by Morocco’s designation to host the next forum in the spring. at this point.
Form a working group
Another practical outcome was the establishment of six working groups focusing on security, energy, tourism, health, education, and food and water security. Some of these working groups met twice last year in member capitals.
The Abu Dhabi meeting had one important objective – to come up with themes and projects that would benefit the entire region and guarantee a better future for its people. The UAE is uniquely positioned to be the driving force behind this collaboration and focus on real and tangible progress for all involved.
Given that the UAE has undertaken a range of projects in each of these areas over the past few decades, it can certainly find ways to collaborate with other members and ensure a win-win situation.
Joint tourism projects focused on improving regional water security, advancing clean energy initiatives and boosting economic development are just some of the possible priorities. Likewise, building regional and national public health capacity or expanding cooperation in education could underpin the future of this new regional forum.
The UAE is key to the group’s success and durability. With its economic, diplomatic and security clout, it is well positioned to channel the energy needed to achieve the Forum’s goals. The UAE has the financial resources, organizational capacity and experience to manage initiatives identified as key areas of joint action.
Towards minilateralism
In some respects, the Negev Forum reflects a growing attraction to mini-lateralism, such as the I2U2 format that brings together India, Israel, the UAE, and the United States. At its first virtual summit, the group announced $2.3 billion worth of food security projects.
Likewise, Israel, Jordan and the UAE renewed a UAE-brokered agreement in 2022 to send Jordanian-produced solar energy to Israel in exchange for desalinated water. As such, this economically and developmentally oriented clique is seen as the future of diplomacy.
The forum itself also reflects regional countries’ efforts to develop regional solutions, rather than relying on external intervention. This marks a major diplomatic shift, opening the door to creative and out-of-the-box solutions to some common problems. Active U.S. participation in this format also demonstrates U.S. commitment to the Middle East.
While economic opportunity is important, political and security considerations are also important tools in making the forum a constructive and enduring forum. Economic growth requires a peaceful and stable environment, so there needs to be a thread linking these three considerations, and the UAE has the ability to stitch them together.
This area involves three main issues: one, keeping open political channels for constructive engagement following the formation of the new Israeli coalition government and some of its controversial policy statements, and efforts to revive the Middle East peace process to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Balancing tightrope walks with Israel and Iran within the extended framework of the Forum’s agenda; and third, ensuring that other important non-member stakeholders, such as Jordan and the Palestinians, support the group’s initiatives.
It was highlighted in the deliberations of the first forum that the group “could expand the potential for peace and conflict resolution across the region”.
While each country in the bloc has different concerns and agendas, they are undoubtedly aligned on development issues. But the process of winding down some of the political and security stimuli to ensure development progress leaves the UAE with the task of balancing various interests to ensure that the meeting ends on a substantive high and facilitates a constructive forum later in the year.
Dr. Muhamad Olimat is Professor of International Relations and Dr. N. Janardhan is a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
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