Pragmatic approach earns Saudi Arabia praise as a leading force in diplomacy
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We have to give credit where credit is due, and Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic approach, with an emphasis on diplomatic initiatives and mediation, has made it well-suited to play a key intermediary role in de-escalating tensions and resolving conflicts, as well as being a leading force for promoting peace, security and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.
Through its policies and actions, the Kingdom has shown that it is one of the countries most suited to play a mediatory role in order to defuse tensions, not only in the region but also on the global stage. For example, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a key mediator in the Ukraine conflict.
The Kingdom, alongside the UAE, recently played a major intermediary role in facilitating an exchange of prisoners between the Ukraine and Russia. In a joint statement, the the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its UAE counterpart announced the success of efforts that led to the release and exchange of two prisoners. The ministries said the success of the mediation efforts was a reflection of the “mutual and solid friendship” between their two countries and the US and Russia.
When it comes to the Middle East, due to the Kingdom’s pragmatic approach, Saudi Arabia is also well-suited to de-escalate tensions, and play an intermediary and diplomatic role in resolving conflicts. Saudi Arabia enjoys all the characteristics and attributes required to take on such a critical task.
As Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, and director of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, said: “Successful mediation requires several key ingredients, chief among which are flexibility, in-depth knowledge of the issues at hand, and leverage over the disputants. In the three cases discussed here, the Saudis have possessed all three ingredients. In a region often marked by tensions and international crises, mediation efforts similar to those undertaken by Saudi Arabia offer a positive approach for de-escalating, if not altogether resolving, regional conflicts.”
Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic approach has made it a leading diplomatic force not only in the Middle East, but also beyond
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh
The Kingdom’s pragmatism, emphasis on economic development and positive changing role ought to be contextualized along with its Vision 2030 program. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “has moved quickly to revolutionize his country’s economy in ways that offer tantalizing hints at even broader reforms,” wrote The New York Times. The Kingdom is planning a $500 billion business and industrial zone that extends into Jordan and Egypt. This project has considerable potential when it comes to attracting foreign visitors, and creating more social and cultural dialogue between the West and Middle East.
Finally, one of the latest examples is Saudi Arabia’s decision to give diplomacy a chance when it comes to its diplomatic ties with the Iranian government. Although China brokered the agreement, the significant role that the Kingdom played should not be disregarded. Jon Alterman, the senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski chair in global security and geostrategy, and director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, pointed to this fact, noting: “But by paying so much attention to China, Americans risk missing the most important part of this agreement: the changing regional role of Saudi Arabia. A week of smoothly integrated diplomacy not only showed Saudi Arabia to be a skillful diplomatic actor, but also a creative one. The popular image of Saudi Arabia in the US is that of a largely passive consumer of US-provided security. With the agreement, Saudi Arabia cast off the passivity of many decades, and demonstrated it is a diplomatic force to be reckoned with.”
The international community has already witnessed some of the positive consequences of the latest diplomatic role performed by the Kingdom. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Iranian government has agreed to stop arming the Houthis. Security in the region has also been enhanced, as tensions between the Islamic Republic and other Gulf states appear to ease. Following the rapprochement, the Iranian government is now seeking to restore ties with other Gulf states, including Bahrain.
In a nutshell, Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic approach has made it a leading diplomatic force not only in the Middle East, but also beyond. This is contributing to the advancement of peace, security and stability.
- Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh