Omar Saif Ghobash

Omar Saif Ghobash presents his Letters of Credence to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 27 February 2009.

Omar Saif Ghobash (Arabic: عمر سيف غباش‎)(born 1971)[1] is the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Russia.[1] He presented his Letters of Credence to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 27 February 2009.[2]

Ambassador Ghobash studied law at Balliol College, Oxford University and Mathematics at the University of London.[3]

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, the UAE did not have a diplomatic mission in Moscow for many years. More recently, however, the UAE has invested roughly $6 billion USD in Russia's infrastructure.[4] Ghobash believes Russia's participation in fighting extremism is integral to creating stability in the region.[5] A delegation from Abu Dhabi led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has bolstered its presence at The Kremlin in 2015 to coproduce solutions to counter terrorism and conflicts in the Middle East.[6]

Ghobash is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose work outside of government service spans across industries from finance to legal services to cultural development and education. He sponsors the Saif Ghobash–Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation, in memory of his father, Saif Ghobash, the UAE's first Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,[7] who was assassinated at Abu Dhabi International Airport in 1977.[8][9] Likewise, he collaborated with the Booker Prize Foundation in London to create the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. He founded one of the region’s most successful art galleries, The Third Line, which is based in Dubai as well as The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture which supports and identifies the production, research, and distribution channels of contemporary Arab art and culture.[10]

Ghobash is on the advisory body of The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King's College London.[11] He is considered by many to be a thought leader on moderate Islam and the future of the Arab world. He delivered the keynote address entitled, "Where is the Moderate Muslim?" at the 2014 International Affairs Forum hosted by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia.[12]

In response to the regional instability caused by the Arab Revolutions and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, he calls for change through technological innovation and education in Arab countries.[13] Regarding extremism in young Muslims, he said, “The key challenge for us is to stop treating our youth with distance, because there are recruiters out there making sure to grab those youth from us.” [14]

After receiving funding from the government of Abu Dhabi, Ghobash was involved in 2008 in discussions with John Sexton on the opening of a campus of New York University in Abu Dhabi in 2010.[15]

Ghobash is an avid hiker, once spending five years climbing the mountains of Nepal and Switzerland. He speaks Arabic, English, Russian, French, Italian and Spanish.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New envoys urged to lift UAE's stature". Gulf News. 21 September 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  2. ↑ "UAE Russia ambassador meets President Medvedev". Emirates Business 24/7. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  3. ↑ https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/750th_weekend_programme_for_website.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/portrait-of-a-nation-the-ambassador-entrepreneur-and-trekker
  5. ↑ http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/people--politics-uae-and-russia-have-a-bond-that-will-only-grow-stronger
  6. ↑ http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/uae-and-russia-hold-talks-to-tackle-extremism-in-middle-east
  7. ↑ "Remembering Saif Ghobash". Gulf News. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "About The Prize". Banipal Trust for Arab Literature. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  9. ↑ Niblock, Tim (1982). State, society and economy in Saudi Arabia. Taylor & Francis. p. 161. ISBN 0-7099-1806-2. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  10. ↑ http://www.arabculturefund.org/resources/originals/1344170255-AFACBrochure2010.pdf
  11. ↑ http://icsr.info/about-us-2/governance/
  12. ↑ "Search for the Moderate Muslim". New Strait Times.
  13. ↑ "Fighting ISIS in the Realm of Ideas". Knowledge at Wharton.
  14. ↑ Al Almeri, Khalid. "Our Youth Need Guidance". The National. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Lewin, Tamar (10 February 2008). "U.S. Universities Rush to Set Up Outposts Abroad". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-07-29.


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