By Marita Moaje
MANILA – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has assured the Filipino community, including their families back in the Philippines, that the country is secure and stable, amid the escalating tension in the Middle East.
In a statement on Monday, the UAE Embassy in Manila said Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, in a recent television interview, provided clear reassurance that the situation in the UAE remains stable and fully under control.
The UAE Embassy said Al Hashimy emphasized the country’s firm commitment to ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of all residents, including the large and valued Filipino community in the UAE.
“Really to emphasize that you are safe with a leadership that cares for you and that will do everything they possibly can to ensure that safety continues,” she said in an interview with CNN.
“We are in a safe place that has a very strong infrastructure and a leadership that truly does care for Emiratis and non-Emiratis alike, but also for tourists and visitors. And we will really leave no stone unturned to make sure that that continues to be the case for all of our citizens and residents alike.”
Based on Department of Foreign Affairs data, there are around 900,000 Filipinos in the UAE, with over 450,000 in Dubai alone.
During the interview, Al Hashimy highlighted the UAE’s world-class air-to-missile defense systems, noting that over 137 ballistic missiles and more than 200 drones launched in recent attacks had been intercepted, with damage limited primarily to debris.
Despite calling Iran’s attacks on the UAE and other Gulf countries “unlawful and unjustified,” she stressed that the door for diplomacy remains open.
“The door for diplomacy never closes. We continue to engage because we continue to want to de-escalate, and we want to find other ways, other security arrangements that are helpful for this larger region,” she said.
Al Hashimy said Iran is a neighbor to the UAE geographically, sharing a lot of similar ecosystems in a very close and tight-knit region.
She also reaffirmed the UAE’s longstanding policy of not allowing its territory to be used for attacks on Iran while also assuring residents that the country is prepared to defend itself if necessary.
Al Hashimy said the UAE has always encouraged dialogue, as the region does not need another war.
“By the same token, if it needs to come to that, it will come to that. And really, the ball is in Iran’s court right now about how they want to deal with a neighborhood and a neighbor that has traditionally been a very fair and good neighbor to them as well,” she said.
Al Hashimy said the UAE does not get involved in how different countries are governed or how different countries choose their government.
“We want a friendly neighbor that wants to live side by side with us and with our surrounding region, and we are hopeful that it will eventually come to that,” she added. (PNA)
