The Best of Frenemies: Saudi Crown Prince Clashes With U.A.E. President
reliance on oil, he is pushing companies to move their regional headquarters to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, from U.A.E.’s Dubai, a more cosmopolitan city favored by Westerners. He’s also launching plans to set up tech centers, draw more tourists and develop logistical hubs that would rival the U.A.E.’s position as the Middle East’s center of commerce. In March, he announced a second national airline that would compete with Dubai’s highly ranked Emirates.
In the realm of soft power, the Saudi purchase in 2021 of Newcastle, England’s soccer club and investment in global superstar players took place just as Manchester City—owned by a prominent member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family—won the English and European soccer titles. The Emirati president, MBZ, has chafed at being eclipsed by a Saudi royal that U.A.E. officials believe has made some serious missteps, according to Gulf officials.
In separate statements responding to The Wall Street Journal, a U.A.E. official speaking for the government said claims of strained relations were “categorically false and lack foundation," and a Saudi official called the idea “simply not accurate." “The U.A.E. is a close regional partner of Saudi Arabia, and our policies converge on a wide range of issues of mutual interest," the Saudi official said.
The two countries work together with other Gulf neighbors on political, security and economic coordination, the official said. The U.A.E. official said their “strategic partnership is based on the same objectives and vision for regional prosperity, security, and stability." In December, after intensifying divisions over Yemen policy and OPEC limits, MBS called the meeting with the journalists.
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