Profile

Having declared its independence from Britain in 1971 as part of the federation of the UAE, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has significantly raised its economic and political profile in the intervening years, both regionally and internationally. While the emirate is home to the world’s sixth-largest proven oil reserves, financial buffers have helped it diversify and yield steady non-oil revenues. This has largely taken the form of expanding domestic industries, from aviation to renewable energy, enabling the emirate to weather a prolonged period of reduced oil prices and fiscal austerity that have put pressure on growth. This chapter contains interviews with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; and Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman, Department of Community Development; and a viewpoint from Emmanuel Macron, President of France.