The visit of the UAE National Security Adviser to Qatar in the midst of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the developments in that country has raised several question marks for regional affairs experts.
Andreas Craig, a security expert at King’s University in the United Kingdom, wrote in a recent article by Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE national security adviser, in Doha, Qatar, that he met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Second, the emir described the country as a “temporary concession” to overcome the remaining ideological differences with Turkey and Qatar in order to secure geostrategic interests.
The Western expert said in an article published by the Middle East Eye website, it may be an exaggeration to say that Tahnoon bin Zayed’s visit to Qatar means a late admission of defeat. The visit of an Emirati figure to Doha is significant since the Arab Spring, which plunged the UAE and Qatar into a protracted conflict over ideological perspectives.
The author of this article went on to point out that in light of recent developments in Afghanistan; Where Washington’s regime’s system collapsed in the days following the withdrawal of US troops, the impact of the fragility and widespread weakness of the regional system has returned to Abu Dhabi.
The image of a failed superpower desperately trying to maintain control of its last bridge in Kabul has led Tahnoon to conclude that protecting the internal security and security of other regional regimes is not possible with Washington alone.
This requires the UAE to be even more pragmatic with its ideological rivals in Doha and Ankara, if necessary, by establishing communication networks and expanding its relations in the region.
The UAE has been in a vulnerable position in the region since Al-Ala agreed to end the siege of Qatar by four countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, and was essentially an agreement between Riyadh and Doha.
Following this agreement, Qatar was able to improve its relations with the UAE’s ideological allies, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. This allowed Qatar to work with Cairo to facilitate the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Thus, the role of Abu Dhabi has been marginalized, especially since the UAE has failed in practice to fulfill its promises made during the signing of the normalization agreement with the Zionist regime to advance the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Qatar discussed close cooperation in a wide range of ministries, culminating in the creation of a Cooperation Council between the two countries. Meanwhile, bilateral relations between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have entered a confrontational phase since 2017.
While the siege of Qatar by the four countries was aimed at marginalizing Doha regionally and internationally, Qatar strengthened its position by establishing closer ties with Washington and participating in sensitive regional cases. Also, the influence and presentation of communication networks in Palestine and Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa and Iran among other countries gave a strong role to Qatar as a mediator, which was completely contrary to the demands and ideas of the UAE.
But after the UAE successfully supported the coup in Egypt in 2013, the UAE came to the conclusion that their country could grow from a small country to a regional powerhouse. After that, the UAE started military interventions in Libya and Yemen and spent a lot of money to achieve fame.
At the same time, this trip can lead to calm in the tense environment of the region, and this will provide enough space for Abu Dhabi and Doha to compete in the intelligence space.
Informed circles and sources in the Persian Gulf countries referred to Sheikh Tahnoon’s visit to Doha as an action and movement that will move the region towards peace and reconciliation and overcoming differences.
The sources said that this step without mediation is in line with the UAE‘s efforts to deepen consultations with the other parties, especially since Sheikh Tahnoon went to Ankara a few days ago and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.