UAE President's diplomatic adviser Dr. Anwar Gargash urged Gulf states to strengthen security coordination through deterrence and diplomacy, saying the approach could help contain conflict and preserve stability, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
At a keynote during the 2026 UAE Government Annual Meetings, Gargash said the UAE would continue to favor dialogue and political solutions in responding to regional crises. He called for leaders to act with flexibility and reason rather than let escalation determine the region’s course. He said the UAE would keep expanding its ties with countries and cultures while carrying forward its development plans.
He presented deterrence and diplomacy as connected parts of the UAE’s security approach. Gargash said a credible defense posture adds weight to diplomatic efforts, which he argued work best when parties engage as equals and from a position of strength.
Gargash said the aggressor targeted Gulf Arab states after wrongly judging them to be the war’s most vulnerable link, despite their efforts to avoid the conflict. He called for governments to reinforce joint Gulf action and support the region’s collective security framework. “The security of all Gulf states is indivisible,” Gargash said, describing it as a shared responsibility.
He urged renewed political and diplomatic efforts, warning that escalation could prolong confrontations and compound regional crises.
Gargash cited the UAE’s ties with Africa as an example of efforts to widen international partnerships. UAE diplomacy has involved hundreds of meetings and engagements intended to build ties around the world, WAM reported. Annual trade between the UAE and Africa has exceeded $107 billion, while UAE investments on the continent are nearing $150 billion, he said.
He also pointed to the UAE’s work on artificial intelligence and digital transformation, along with Etihad Rail, which he said would bolster the country’s role as a regional logistics hub and support development plans. On extremism, Gargash reiterated the UAE’s zero-tolerance position and said security depends on confronting hatred and cutting off sources of extremism.
