Security dynamics worldwide are shifting at an unprecedented pace, with conflicts becoming increasingly unpredictable and interconnected.
Conflicts that once remained contained now send shockwaves across continents, disrupting economies, supply chains, and societies far beyond their borders.
Recent attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea have caused major delays in global trade; Russia’s blockade of Black Sea grain exports in 2022 triggered a worldwide food security crisis; and wars in Gaza, Syria, and Sudan have unleashed waves of forced migration that strain communities thousands of miles away. In today’s interconnected world, no nation, regardless of distance, is immune from the ripple effects of instability.
Local volatility can have truly global consequences, underscoring the need for deeper international engagement and cooperation. In this new era of shared uncertainty, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can no longer afford to view their partnership as secondary. It must be recognized for what it truly is: a vital, strategic alliance that advances shared interests—not only in security, but also in trade, investment, and innovation—at a time when resilience requires both economic and geopolitical alignment.
A Test of Values and Interests
The war in Gaza has brought this reality into sharp focus. Belgium has become the center of a fraught internal debate over Middle East policy. In June, Brussels saw one of its largest pro-Palestinian rallies—an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 people demanding a ceasefire and formal recognition of a two-state solution.
Public pressure has encouraged policymakers to demonstrate Belgium’s commitment through practical measures. While most parties continue to endorse a two-state solution, Belgium’s governing coalition has yet to reach consensus on diplomatic recognition.
In the interim, Belgium has turned to humanitarian measures to signal its commitment. Among the most visible is the use of military aircraft to air-drop aid into Gaza. Under Operation Cerulean Skies 2, the Belgian Defence Ministry has carried out multiple missions since early August, delivering 190 tonnes of food, water, and medical supplies—making Belgium the second-largest contributor in this multinational effort, after the UAE.
The Emirates, which has been conducting humanitarian airdrops into Gaza since late 2023 alongside partners like Jordan, had already carried out multiple missions, demonstrating decisive action and a recognition that traditional delivery routes were no longer sufficient. Belgium’s participation in similar operations reflects a growing convergence with this pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach.
What makes this alignment particularly significant is how it is being institutionalised in Brussels itself. On the sidelines of the European Humanitarian Forum in May 2025, Dubai Humanitarian—one of the world’s largest humanitarian logistics hubs—signed a landmark administrative arrangement with the EU’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).
The agreement, witnessed by Belgian and EU officials, commits both sides to closer coordination in supply chains, crisis response, and emergency preparedness.
For Belgium, this was more than a diplomatic footnote. It underscored the country’s role not just as Europe’s capital but as the bridge through which the UAE’s humanitarian leadership is projected onto the continent.
In doing so, it reframed the relationship: no longer symbolic gestures of goodwill, but a recognition that responding to crises like Gaza—or any future disaster—requires partnerships that are fast, efficient, and strategically rooted in shared values.
Realism Over Idealism: A Shared Diplomatic DNA
Belgium’s broader approach to the MENA region mirrors the UAE’s in critical ways. Both nations understand that diplomacy, not military adventurism, is the only viable path forward in a region fractured by complex rivalries.
Belgium’s diplomatic engagement with Iran, for example, walks a delicate line. While fully acknowledging Iran’s destabilising actions, its military support for Russia, and its hostage diplomacy, Belgium remains committed to dialogue as the only sustainable way forward.
This is also the approach that the UAE has adopted in recent years: prioritising de-escalation, building bridges between rivals, and embracing diplomacy over confrontation. These shared instincts are not coincidental; they are the bedrock of why Belgium and the UAE are natural partners.
An Economic Relationship That Demands Scaling
Economically, the foundation is strong but still under-leveraged. The UAE is Belgium’s second-largest trading partner in the Arab world, with bilateral trade valued at €7 billion in 2023 but falling to €5 billion in 2024.
The decrease reflects shifts in global diamond markets, as EU sanctions on Russian stones and the rise of synthetic alternatives reshaped demand. These figures capture only the trade in goods; Belgium’s economic footprint in the UAE is even broader when services are included, with companies like BESIX—a Belgium-based international construction group renowned for landmark projects such as the Burj Khalifa and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque—leaving a lasting mark and underscoring Belgium’s role as a long-term partner in the Emirates’ development.
Belgium’s expertise extends offshore as well, through some of the world’s largest dredging and marine engineering companies. Belgium-based Jan De Nul, one of the world’s top dredging contractors, is overseeing the marine works for Palm Jebel Ali—Dubai’s newest megaproject that will add 90 kilometers of coastline. The firm also played a pivotal role in shaping Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, reclaimed in 2006 and now home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the soon-to-open Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi, and the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex comprising a mosque, a church, and a synagogue.
Similarly, Belgium-based DEME, a leading global dredging and marine infrastructure contractor, played a pivotal role in the Satah al-Razboot (SARB) project by designing and constructing two artificial drilling islands offshore Abu Dhabi, enabling the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to boost production while reducing costs and environmental impact.
Together, such projects capture the UAE’s ability to pair local ambition with global expertise to bring bold visions to life. Belgium’s role already extends beyond construction and energy, positioning the partnership for growth in emerging areas such as renewable energy, logistics, and digital innovation. Scaling this relationship will mean extending cooperation into the next generation of strategic industries.
This is only the beginning. In a region moving toward a post-oil future, the energy transition—anchored in renewables, hydrogen, and sustainable technologies—offers Belgium and the UAE unprecedented space for collaboration. Logistics, advanced manufacturing, defense cooperation, and fintech represent further sectors where bilateral ties can expand rapidly.
The recent launch of EU-UAE free trade negotiations marks a pivotal moment. But Belgium cannot afford to view this solely through the EU lens. National-level initiatives are equally crucial if Belgium is to secure its interests—and strengthen its role as a bridge between Europe and the MENA region.
A Forward-Looking Alliance in a Fragmented World
As we are living in an era of increased division fuelled by great power rivalries, Belgium and the UAE stand out as pragmatic actors, consensus-builders that prioritize diplomacy, stability, and multilateralism. This shared diplomatic identity is more than symbolic; it is a strategic asset, both to each other, and to global stability.
In today’s world, the cost of inaction is too high. Whether addressing humanitarian crises, serving as the stable mediator during times of crisis, or securing sustainable economic growth, the partnership between Belgium and the UAE is no longer optional, it is essential.
