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Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed: The UAE Seeks to Guide Best Gender Balance Practices

The UAE seeks to be a leader in best practices in gender balance. (Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat)
The UAE seeks to be a leader in best practices in gender balance. (Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed: The UAE Seeks to Guide Best Gender Balance Practices

The UAE seeks to be a leader in best practices in gender balance. (Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat)
The UAE seeks to be a leader in best practices in gender balance. (Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat)

Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Dubai Women’s Foundation, said that her country was working on a project within the future strategy to transform the UAE into a leader of best gender balance practices, pointing to the implementation of several plans to empower woman since the Council’s establishment.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on the occasion of International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid spoke about women’s participation in decision-making, assuming leadership positions, and their role in development in various sectors.

Asked about the UAE plans to empower women in general, she said: “Plans to empower women in the Emirates began since the country was founded in 1971 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his brothers, the founding fathers. The father, Sheikh Zayed, established a firm approach for the respect and appreciation of women by providing all forms of support to enable them to assume their role in development and community building.”

“Pursuant to this approach, the UAE constitution stipulates the principle of equal opportunities and equality between men and women in rights and duties, which has been translated into laws, legislations, initiatives and policies that support this principle and turn it into tangible achievements,” she added.

Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that women in the UAE have also received great support from Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation.

She noted that on March 8, 2015, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak launched the “National Strategy for Empowerment and Entrepreneurship of Women in the UAE 2015-2021”, which provided a reference framework for all governmental, private and civil society institutions in developing relevant action plans and programs.

This strategy sought to empower and build the capabilities of Emirati women, to overcome obstacles hindering their participation in all fields and to constitute a model for women’s leadership in all local, regional and international forums, according to the president of the UAE Gender Balance Council.

On how the UAE managed to reduce the gender gap, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid said that the establishment of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance in 2015 under the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum marked a milestone in the issue of gender equality in the country and its transformation into a sustainable institutional approach.

“The council aims to reduce the gender gap in all sectors of the country, raise the UAE’s position in reports and global competitiveness indicators, and make it a global model in this field,” she underlined.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had set a goal for the UAE to be by 2021, among the top 25 countries in the world in the report on gender equality issued annually by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which is considered the most important global indicator in this field.

“In a record time not exceeding 5 years, the UAE made a big leap within the report, by reaching the 18th position worldwide in the 2020 edition, while maintaining the first place at the Arab level, that is, before the date set for the Council,” she remarked.

Projects and initiatives launched and implemented by the Council over the past five years have also contributed to reducing the gender gap across all sectors and achieving global competitiveness, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid said, adding that strong partnerships were built with countries, organizations and international institutions with distinguished expertise and experiences in this field.

She revealed that the Council has also launched quality projects and pioneering initiatives to consolidate the concept of gender balance and transform it into an institutional culture, including the development and launch of the “Gender Balance Guide: Practical Steps for Institutions in the Emirates”, in cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as the first guide of its kind in the world to support gender balance in government and private institutions.

“As a result of the successes of Emirati women and the belief of the state’s leadership in the importance of their role, the percentage of women’s representation in the Federal National Council (Parliament) has risen to 50 percent, which is one of the highest global percentages,” she stated.

The percentage of women’s representation in the UAE government is currently at 27.5 percent, which is one of the highest rates globally.

Moreover, women represent about 30 percent of workers in the diplomatic corps, 24 percent in the boards of directors of federal government agencies and 19.8 percent in the boards of directors of the chambers of commerce and industry in the UAE, she emphasized.

“Today, the UAE has become a pioneering regional model in the field of gender balance. Our experience is internationally appreciated, reflected in the country’s ranking in global indicators and reports, the most recent of which is the World Bank report on “Women, Business and Law 2021” in which the UAE ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa,” the president of the UAE Gender Balance Council told Asharq Al-Awsat.

She continued: “We have initiatives and projects within the future strategy of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance that aim to make the UAE the best country in the world in all fields by 2071. We will work to transform the UAE into a leader of best practices in gender balance.”

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Interviews

UK Chancellor to Asharq Al-Awsat: Strengthening Partnership with Saudi Arabia a Top Priority

Reeves speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Reeves speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UK Chancellor to Asharq Al-Awsat: Strengthening Partnership with Saudi Arabia a Top Priority

Reeves speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Reeves speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves affirmed that strengthening relations and economic partnership with Saudi Arabia represents a top priority for her government, noting that under the ambitious Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia finds in the United Kingdom an ideal partner thanks to Britain’s stability, regulatory flexibility, and global expertise.

She revealed her government’s plan to support major projects that unleash growth, starting with the expansion of Heathrow Airport and extending to infrastructure spending exceeding £725 billion ($958.7 billion) over the next decade.

In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat from Riyadh, Reeves said her participation in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Conference stems from a key goal: deepening mutual investment and trade. She confirmed that this visit, the first by a UK Chancellor to the Gulf in six years, reflects London’s seriousness in strengthening regional relations.

“This visit marks the first time a UK Chancellor has travelled to the Gulf in six years, which reflects just how seriously this government takes our relationship with Saudi Arabia and the wider region,” Reeves said.

“I’m here with one of the largest UK business delegations to the Gulf in recent years, and our participation is driven by our number one priority: growth.”

“At a time of global uncertainty, the UK offers stability, regulatory agility and world-class expertise – qualities that make us an ideal partner for Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 transformation,” she added.

Reeves emphasized the economic complementarity between the two nations, noting that her delegation includes UK business leaders in key sectors such as financial services, life sciences, AI, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.

She pointed out that Britain’s expertise in these fields uniquely positions London to support Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification, while Gulf investment helps drive growth and create jobs across the UK. According to her, joint trade and investment deals exceeded £10 billion over the past 18 months alone, creating more than 4,100 jobs in the United Kingdom.

Reeves and her accompanying delegation meet with Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Qasabi at the National Competitiveness Center in Riyadh (Ministry)

Deepening Mutual Investment and Trade

The Chancellor said: “My discussions are focused on deepening the two-way investment and trade that benefits families and businesses in both our countries. The £6.4 billion ($8.4 billion) package we've announced this week demonstrates the tangible results of this approach.”

According to Reeves, the package includes £5 billion in Saudi-backed exports supporting British manufacturing, alongside major investments by Barclays, HSBC and others, strengthening their presence in Saudi Arabia.

Key Priorities

Reeves said that one of her top priorities is accelerating progress on a UK–GCC Free Trade Agreement, noting that such a deal could boost bilateral trade by 16 percent and represents the kind of forward-looking partnership that creates prosperity for both sides.

“My vision is straightforward: I want Britain and Saudi Arabia to be partners of choice for each other. We regulate for growth, not just risk. We're backing key infrastructure projects like Heathrow expansion – where the Saudi Public Investment Fund holds a 15 percent stake,” she said.

She added: “We’re creating opportunities for co-investment, particularly through our National Wealth Fund and pension reforms that will unlock tens of billions for infrastructure and innovation.”

“My message at the FII this week was clear – I'm championing the UK as a stable investment destination,” she stressed, referring to Britain’s “ironclad commitment to fiscal rules and our modern Industrial Strategy focused on the sectors of the future.”

Reeves speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi–British Cooperation

On the most prominent areas and nature of cooperation between Riyadh and London, Reeves said: “Our partnership – built on mutual respect and shared ambition – spans multiple high-value sectors and continues to deepen.”

“Over the past 18 months alone, we've secured over £10 billion in two-way trade and investment, creating more than 4,100 UK jobs and many others in Saudi Arabia. Over 1,600 UK companies also now have a presence in the Kingdom – this is a partnership that works to the benefit of families and businesses on both sides,” she added.

“In financial services, London remains a world-leading international financial centre. We’ve launched a new concierge service – the Office for Investment: Financial Services – to help international firms establish and expand in the UK, while banking giants like Barclays and HSBC are expanding their operations in Riyadh,” Reeves explained.

She highlighted that Riyadh Air’s first-ever flight landed in London this past weekend, powered by UK-manufactured wings and Rolls-Royce engines – showing how British engineering is integral to Gulf aviation ambitions.

According to Reeves, UK firms like Quantexa are launching new AI services in the region, while Saudi cybersecurity firm Cipher is investing $50 million to open its European headquarters in London, demonstrating a partnership at the forefront of technology and innovation.

She added: “We are also collaborating closely in areas like sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, education and the life sciences. But I feel we can and must go further – a UK–GCC Free Trade Agreement would unlock huge mutual benefits, including boosting bilateral trade by 16 percent.”

Reeves and the UK business delegation at the British Residence in Riyadh (Ministry)

A British Plan to Contain Financial Challenges

On her government’s plan to address the financial challenges facing the United Kingdom, Reeves said: “After years of decline – from austerity to Brexit to the mini-budget – we inherited significant challenges. But we've moved decisively to address them whilst investing in our future.”

“We have an ironclad commitment to robust fiscal rules. This provides the stability and certainty that investors need. The IMF now projects that, after the US, the UK will be the fastest-growing G7 economy. This didn't happen by accident – it's the result of tough choices and disciplined economic management,” she added.

Reeves emphasized that “growth is our number one priority, because it's how we overcome challenges and put more money in working people's pockets. Our modern Industrial Strategy focuses on key sectors of the future – AI, life sciences, financial services, clean energy – where Britain has genuine competitive advantages, many of which are shared by our partners in the Gulf.”

She continued: “We're catalysing private investment through our National Wealth Fund, which is driving over £70 billion in investment, and pension reforms unlocking up to £50 billion for infrastructure and innovation. This creates opportunities for co-investment with partners like Gulf sovereign wealth funds.”

Reeves confirmed that the United Kingdom offers strength in uncertain times by combining stability with ambition. She referred to her government’s plan to support major projects that unleash growth, from Heathrow Airport expansion to infrastructure spending exceeding £725 billion over the next decade.

“We're open for business, but we're being strategic about building partnerships that create good jobs, boost business and bring investment into communities across the UK – from the North East to the Oxford–Cambridge corridor. That's how we build an economy that works for, and rewards, working people in Britain,” she said.

The minister concluded by stressing that “turning inwards is the wrong response to global challenges.” She affirmed that Britain remains open for business and is taking a strategic approach to building partnerships that create jobs and benefit working people across the United Kingdom.

“After landmark deals with the US, EU and India, we're accelerating progress with the GCC,” she said.

Interviews

Yemen’s Interior Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hezbollah Members Arrested in Aden

Yemeni Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan. Photo: Turky Alagili
Yemeni Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan. Photo: Turky Alagili
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Yemen’s Interior Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hezbollah Members Arrested in Aden

Yemeni Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan. Photo: Turky Alagili
Yemeni Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan. Photo: Turky Alagili

Yemeni Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haydan said that security forces have arrested members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as well as Syrians and Iranians involved in drug trafficking and supporting the Houthi militias.

The detainees are connected to drug smuggling networks that moved to Yemen after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, he told Asharq Al-Awsat in an interview.

The minister stated that security forces arrested two individuals at Aden International Airport. One is affiliated with Hezbollah and the other is a Syrian national.

The arrests took place after the Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport was bombed by Israel, disrupting flights and prompting the two to try to enter through Aden Airport as tourists. He added that “the suspects remain in custody in Aden.”

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the minister also said that a Yemeni court has recently sentenced six Iranians to death for smuggling tons of narcotics, after convicting them of taking part in large-scale smuggling operations linked to regional networks that fund the Houthis.

Haydan accused Iran of sending military experts and transferring drug factories and drone production facilities to Yemen after the collapse of some of its traditional proxies in the region.

The minister believes that the Houthi group has reached its “weakest point,” saying that the latest Israeli strikes that targeted militia leaders have created divisions within the movement’s ranks.

Haydan hailed the security partnership between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, saying it has made great achievements in arresting terrorists and criminals.

He described the partnership as a “great example of productive security cooperation.”

The minister said the security cooperation between the two sides has “yielded significant successes on the ground,” most notably the joint security operation in Al-Mahra Governorate, which “resulted in the arrest of a cell affiliated with ISIS and several of its most dangerous members, thanks to direct coordination with Saudi security agencies through special units.”

The minister said that “the exchange of intelligence information between the Yemeni Interior Ministry and the relevant security authorities in the Kingdom has also been a decisive factor in the recent successes in combating drug smuggling.”

“Security forces have managed to thwart several operations and seize large quantities of illegal substances,” he told his interviewer.

He also stressed that Saudi support is not limited to field operations, but also includes training and capacity building of security personnel.

One of the most prominent forms of this support, he said, was the training programs implemented last year to qualify personnel working at land, air, and sea border crossings.

Haydan also described security ties between Yemen and the US as “excellent,” saying it is witnessing a “gradual progress toward restoring the level of partnership that existed before the Houthi coup in 2014.”

He noted that cooperation between the two sides “is gradually returning to its normal course after years of interruption.”

“We have already begun receiving training opportunities for counterterrorism personnel in a number of friendly countries under US sponsorship,” he said, pointing out that his country is “working to develop this cooperation to include equipping the Interior Ministry with advanced specialized devices for counterterrorism efforts.”

Interviews

French Senator to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ongoing Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to Combat Financial Crimes

The Saudi capital Riyadh - File Photo/AFP
The Saudi capital Riyadh - File Photo/AFP
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French Senator to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ongoing Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to Combat Financial Crimes

The Saudi capital Riyadh - File Photo/AFP
The Saudi capital Riyadh - File Photo/AFP

Riyadh is preparing to host the conference “Sanctions, AML & CFT for Banking & Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” an event that brings together senior experts and regulators to discuss emerging challenges in the regional and global financial sector.

French senator Nathalie Goulet, who is participating in the event, revealed the ongoing cooperation between Riyadh and Paris in the field of combating financial crimes, stressing that fighting money-laundering is a top priority for regional security and stability.

The conference will be held in Riyadh on October 21–22 and is organized by the international compliance events company NielsonSmith.

Speaking from Paris to Asharq Al-Awsat, Goulet, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, confirmed the depth of bilateral cooperation between the Kingdom and France in anti-money-laundering efforts. She noted that she has worked closely with Saudi authorities, including members of the Shura Council, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), and intelligence services, through the delivery of specialized workshops.

Regarding the importance of the conference, Goulet explained that the amount of “dirty money” circulating ranges between $2 trillion and $5 trillion annually, making it worthy of international attention. She confirmed that the conference represents a highly important opportunity to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging trends, and present practical solutions to address sanctions, AML, and CFT challenges.

She clarified that the event provides an important forum where senior experts, regulators, and industry practitioners can exchange knowledge, discuss emerging trends, and share practical solutions for the challenges imposed by sanctions, AML, and CFT.

French senator, and member of the Senate Finance Committee, Nathalie Goulet. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A comprehensive agenda for the conference

According to Goulet, this year’s conference agenda is comprehensive and forward-looking, covering multiple dimensions of financial security:

- Geopolitical risks: covering the geopolitical dimensions of economic sanctions and priorities for 2025.

- Virtual assets and fintech: exploring in depth the compliance challenges and opportunities provided by virtual assets and fintech innovation, as these are areas of rapid growth and increasing complexity.

- Advanced technologies: exploring ways to use artificial intelligence and blockchain to enhance anti-money-laundering efforts.

- Trade finance: discussing strategies to detect and combat complex money-laundering schemes in trade finance.

- Role of Financial Intelligence Units: studying their pivotal role in shaping effective responses to financial crime.

Dirty money fuels terrorism

Goulet emphasized that combating money-laundering is essential for security and stability, confirming that dirty money is also funds that fuel terrorism, which makes it necessary to ban its financing, and to stop money-laundering that is used to finance terrorism.

On the most important challenges in implementing mechanisms to strengthen the fight against financial corruption and money-laundering, she said: “The fight against financial corruption and money-laundering is complex and constantly evolving, particularly in a dynamic region such as the Middle East. One of the biggest challenges is coordinating regulatory efforts across different jurisdictions, each with its own legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.”

She observed that this complexity “can hinder timely and effective action against illicit activities.”

She also warned that “the rapid rise of virtual assets and fintech represents significant new challenges for regulators and financial institutions alike, as these technologies offer great opportunities for innovation but also pose unique risks that require robust and adaptable compliance frameworks.”

From a technological perspective, she added: “There is a pressing need to deploy advanced tools, like AI and blockchain, effectively to enhance sanctions screening and transaction monitoring. However, integrating these technologies while minimizing errors such as false positives is not straightforward.”

She also said that trade-based money laundering, especially in "key Middle Eastern trade hubs, also demands specialized attention due to the sophisticated methods criminals use. Furthermore, keeping pace with emerging regulatory risks and global reporting standards requires continuous vigilance and flexibility from all stakeholders involved in financial compliance."

The French senator emphasized that "together, these challenges emphasize the need for comprehensive, collaborative, and technology-enabled approaches to safeguard financial systems and maintain public trust."

She also noted that the regional collaborative forum provided by the conference will encourage participants to identify global regulatory shifts and adapt to them, ensuring that Saudi Arabia remains at the forefront of compliance and financial integrity.