Indonesia-UAE Relations in the Context of Regional Governance

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia and describes its main drivers in the Regional Governance. The article provides an analysis of the main strategic interests of both Indonesia and the UAE considering four-overarching global and regional interests. It discusses reasons why this relationship will likely grow in the future, namely due to common interests in investment in Indonesia's infrastructure, promoting moderate Islam and providing more ways to balance regional relations between the US, India and China. The article concludes with a synopsis of the key drivers of the UAE-Indonesian relationship and the role the Indian Ocean plays in enabling it. Middle East Understanding the Indonesia-UAE relationship sheds light on the increasing importance of the Indian Ocean region to both Southeast Asia and Arab Gulf countries. While significantly different in history, culture, demography and geographic size, global and regional trends are providing opportunities for Indonesia and the UAE to advance common strategic interests. These strategic interests include being well positioned as regional hubs for the rise of Asia as the future engine of global growth, promoting state models of moderate, modern and pluralistic Islam as an antidote to violent extremism, and building on joint investment opportunities to diversify their respective economies away from a reliance on natural resources.