Jabber Biography

In an interview with Business Emirates, the head of the diplomatic mission in Moscow spoke about the development of bilateral ties, the tourist interests of the Emirates in Russia and the prospects for strategic cooperation of the two countries. Mr. Ambassador, please tell us why you chose the Russian language to study and how did the diplomatic career in the CIS countries develop?

Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a diplomat. I was attracted to this interesting, noble, but at the same time a very responsible profession. The diplomat must adequately represent his country abroad, build friendly relations between countries and peoples. I like it. I began my career back in my student years in Uzbekistan - I combined my studies at the university with work in the field of international relations.

In Tashkent, I learned the Russian language. By the way, my wife instilled in this beautiful and rich language, who speaks well on him. How quickly did you adapt in Russia? As you know, I worked as an ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan for several years, so I came to Russia with good baggage of professional knowledge and skills. I had no problems with either language or communication.

What mood did you arrive in Moscow with? Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: I arrived in Moscow in a rather positive mood, with a sense of enthusiasm and optimism. It is very important for me to justify the high trust rendered to me by the leadership of the country. The tasks of us are ambitious. Russia is a strategic partner of the UAE. We see great opportunities for the further development of bilateral relations in many areas.

Our goal is not only to maintain the results achieved, but also to bring international relations to a new, higher level than we are now doing our Russian colleagues and partners. And it turns out well with us. Much has already been done. We are tuned to active work and are not going to dwell on what has been achieved. What tools do you use in the work on the development of bilateral connections and establishing relations?

Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: The main tool is sociability. I am a rather sociable person and can get along with people. This skill allows me to establish contacts, communicate and easily find a common language with others. At the same time, I attach important importance to mutual trust and openness. Russians are very fond of the emirates. How does the attitude of the Emirates towards Russia change today?

Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: I have no doubt that this love is mutual. As you know, tens of thousands of Russians live and work in the Emirates. They consider the UAE to be their second homeland. And citizens of the UAE love to go to Russia. This is especially noticeable in recent years. They are attracted by beautiful nature, rich history and cultural traditions.

Moreover, for half a century now, our peoples have connected strong bonds of friendship, and in the future this friendship will only grow stronger. In the year, citizens of the UAE began to visit Moscow more often. How did the tourist flow grow at the end of the year? Russia for our citizens is a relatively new region. Of course, the UAE embassy in Moscow has done and does a lot to promote Russia's tourist capabilities among its citizens.

Our tourists visit Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi. In the summer, for example, they come to Russia to spend the honeymoon. In the summer, if you go to the central streets of Moscow in the evening, you can find a huge number of tourists from the Arab countries. They walk with families, have lunch in restaurants and make purchases in luxury boutiques. In the year, almost 9 thousand UAE citizens rested in Russia - three times more than in m.

What vacation can be in demand by Arabs in Russia? What directions should Russia develop to attract tourists from the Gulf countries? Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: Of course, tours to the North Pole, Arctic cruises are very interesting to emirate tourists. Among the attractive directions are the Kaliningrad region, Altai, the Golden Ring, the regions of the Far North. Good chances of the regions with which direct air traffic is established.

Russia is an ideal place for environmental tourism. The extensive territory, almost all the climatic zones of the planet - from Arctic to subtropical, a variety of landscapes - all this warms up the interest of tourists. Values ​​are added that Russia offers good resting opportunities at affordable prices. In many regions of Russia, especially in those where the Muslim population predominates, the Halal Friendly system has been introduced, the tourist infrastructure is adapted for travelers from Muslim countries.

I am convinced that the mutual tourist flow between Russia and the UAE will increase. In which sectors is Russia the most competitive? Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: UAE are interested in the development of Russian companies in the fields of information and communication technologies and civil aviation. Aurus brand aroused great interest. The achievements and experience of Russia in the study and development of space space and manned cosmonautics are extremely important.Traditionally, Russia demonstrates high competitiveness in the products of the fuel and energy complex, the oil and gas industry, weapons, the production of food and agricultural goods, the products of the metallurgical, chemical and engineering industries and the export of precious metals.

What should be the first steps of Russian UAE companies, and what mistakes are most often made by Russian entrepreneurs, entering the Gulf markets? Therefore, they are very favorable for international transactions. Before the opening of a business in the UAE of the Russian company, if it plans to focus on the domestic Emirates market, you need to familiarize yourself with the legislative base of the UAE and analyze the existing demand, that is, to conduct market research.

After the company has been convinced of the presence of demand for its products, it must register a business and get a license, as well as the necessary documents for the import of goods.

As for errors, when organizing supplies, it is necessary to thoroughly work out the terms of the contracts, soberly evaluate the risks, expand the force majeure section in contracts. Also, a typical mistake of foreign entrepreneurs in the UAE is an attempt to carry out one activity under the guise of another. Often inexperienced businessmen focused on the domestic market open companies in the SEZ and fall under serious restrictions.

The neglect of accounting also leads to errors in the business, carelessness in the design of the internal documentation of the company. How do you recommend behaving Russian companies that want to build a fruitful partnership in the UAE market and the Middle East as a whole? They all feel comfortable. The most important thing in the Emirates, as in other countries, is to respect and observe local laws, to understand the specifics of the local business environment and the nuances of business.

How did the indicators of economic, trade and investment cooperation in Russia and the UAE have been updated during your work? Muhammad Ahmad al Jaber: The past year was really very saturated. The UAE Embassy held dozens of productive meetings with representatives of state bodies and private sectors in order to develop cooperation between our countries. During the work of our team, the volume of trade and the rate of investment increased significantly, and the visits of delegations at various levels have intensified.

What are the results of Russian-Emirate cooperation in a year? The pace of mutual investment between our countries is constantly growing. He spent 8 days in space and became the first cosmonaut of the United Arab Emirates in history. Also, such events can be safely attributed to Russia's assistance to the emirate partners in the training of personnel and the supply of nuclear fuel for the first emirate nuclear power plant.

How is the implementation of the clause of strategic partnership agreement promoted? How did the pandemic affect him? Muhammad Ahmad Al Jaber: Agreements on strategic partnership outlined the path in the direction of strong, fruitful and positive cooperation between our countries. We are very optimistic and convinced that this path of cooperation undoubtedly helps to strengthen the stability and further advance of the interests of the two countries within the framework of solidarity and mutual understanding based on mutual respect.

In a pandemic, the world experienced difficult times. But relations between the UAE and Russia are successfully developing in all directions, despite the pandemic. Cooperation continues in various fields, including in the field of space, high technology, defense and security, education, culture and healthcare, as well as in the fight against coronavirus. Find more articles on topics:.