How the Middle East contributes to the world
Ahmed Abdul-Rahman talks about the various cultures that are in the Middle East and the contribution it has made to the world.
Most of the time, analysts and foreign and international policymakers lose sight of the fact that the Middle East has been very important in the development of human civilization. The ancient and diverse cultures and monotheistic religions that the region enjoyed were the basis for the establishment of great powers and empires. Most analysts and policymakers do not realize that these were the main reason the Middle East led the world in its diversity of intellectual thinking.
There is no doubt that the events that the Middle East experienced through the ages until the end of World War II have completely changed since the discovery of oil and gas in the Arabian Gulf and the Fertile Crescent. This is what made global policy makers want to win in the region in terms of their relationships, alliances, partnerships and friendships.
A narrow vision of the Middle East has contributed to its conflicts and disputes. As a consequence, terrorist groups have emerged. These groups have threatened the social fabric of societies and tried to destroy internal development plans that have begun in some countries. They also pose a threat to global security.
From 1948 to 2020, the world has made a lot of effort to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. They have included strenuous attempts over the decades by the Americans, the Europeans, and others to resolve the conflict which has only helped to establish extremist thought and spread it. The security of the region- internal and external- has also been dealt a blow. Since 1979, new sectarian and ethnic conflicts have emerged, and have become a threat socially and militarily.
There must be a slow and deep look at the Middle East as well as redefining international policies towards the region. The governments of these countries must not be left in the hands of politicians who do not know the history and value of the region in terms of its geopolitics, culture and economics. There must be a protocol called the Middle East Protocol that summarises the region's true value- in the past, present and future. It must also show the importance of its overall security, as well as showing the most important and most dangerous threats to its security. Bettina Koch and Yannis Stivachtis say this in their book: "Regional Security in the Middle East: Sectors, variables and issues." They maintain that Middle East security in the broadest sense is the presence of threats that pose an existential threat to states, governments, societies, individual groups, and the region as a whole.
The message decision-makers - including in Europe, America, China and Russia – need to know is that the Middle East is witnessing radical change that affect the common culture of all societies in the region. With the importance of major resources, such as energy, global policy makers must pay attention to what the region contributes to the world economy.
Take, for example, the unbridled European desire to conclude the nuclear agreement with Iran.This may be seen as a success from the point of view of the politicians who are trying to do the deal. But an agreement may contribute to more conflict in the region and increase terrorist threats, if it is not based on the opinion of the countries concerned and those affected by the countries of the Middle East.
Many years ago, the UAE began to develop a comprehensive vision of the Middle East, in which the values of brotherhood, love, and peace prevailed. That vision culminated in the signing of the peace agreement with Israel, upending a major source and cause of conflict in the Middle East.
Future agreements should reflect this vision. It should be that threats in all its forms should be eliminated and that the next generation should be granted the opportunity for peace, security, and stability.
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