The United Arab Emirates is making a bid to become a defense powerhouse in the Middle East less than two months after striking a historic deal to normalize relations with Israel, bulking up its military as it seeks a seat on the U.N. Security Council.
The country formally announced its bid for a two-year spot on the 15-member council Tuesday but it will have win support from at least two-thirds of the panel during a June 2021 vote.
“We want to bring the sort of new thinking from the region,” UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told a virtual event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations.
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UAE builds on Israel deal with military, diplomatic push
The United Arab Emirates is making a bid to become a defense powerhouse in the Middle East less than two months after striking a historic deal to normalize relations with Israel, bulking up its military as it seeks a seat on the U.N. Security Council.
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