Participants at a seminar held in Abu Dhabi to discuss the book “Wisdom: His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – Visions and Models in Development and Institutional Building” stated that the work chronicles the history of Moroccan-Emirati relations, highlighting the distinctive visions and public policies of both countries.
During the seminar organized by the Office of the Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, attended by several academics and thought leaders, it was emphasized that the book will serve as a testament to the wisdom and foresight that characterize the leadership journeys of the two brotherly nations, prioritizing human development as the ultimate goal of all societal and civilizational projects and genuine partnerships.
Morocco’s ambassador to the UAE, Ahmed Tazi, noted that this scholarly work distinctly captures the wisdom of two exceptional leaders united by a shared vision for serving humanity, nation-building, and reinforcing the values of peace and tolerance.
He highlighted that “the book is not merely an academic publication, but an additional bridge added to the genuine bonds of brotherhood between Morocco and the UAE,” a relationship founded by King Hassan II and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and continued today by King Mohammed VI and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Tazi praised the significant intellectual effort that illuminated various aspects of the insightful vision of the leaders of both countries in development and institutional building, making this book a reference that combines deep thought, precise analysis, and elegant expression.
He concluded that the ties between Morocco and the UAE encompass not only a history of fruitful bilateral cooperation but also a shared vision for a more united and cohesive Arab future—one that emerges from an awareness of contemporary developments and the necessity to respond to the evolving needs of society, within rational programs for sustainable development, openness, and innovation.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Bashari, Secretary-General of the World Council of Muslim Communities, affirmed that the book addresses the concept of wisdom as embodied in the experiences of two states, balancing historical legitimacy with strategic relevance. It interprets wisdom as a complex notion that intersects three dimensions: a value-based aspect that frames state choices, a cognitive dimension that structures the understanding of local and international realities, and a practical dimension embodied in public policies and institutional building.
Bashari further explained that the book connects the history of Moroccan-Emirati relations with the nature of visions and policies in both countries, suggesting that the partnership between Rabat and Abu Dhabi is not merely a convergence of current interests but a convergence of visions regarding the meaning of statehood, development, and stability.
He underscored the role of “constitutional wisdom” in the Moroccan experience and “federal wisdom” in the Emirati experience, stating that Morocco has a constitutional history since independence, deepening with substantive reforms over recent decades, while the UAE has a federal model built by Sheikh Zayed on a delicate balance between protecting local identities and establishing a federal state capable of making strategic decisions.
He pointed out that “wisdom here becomes a lens through which we can see how a long relationship formed between geographically non-contiguous countries that share a similar vision of the state’s meaning and its role in a tumultuous regional environment.”
In turn, Mohammed bin Hwaiden, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University, recognized that this academic work centers on the wisdom demonstrated by the leaders of both nations, representing the highest level of maturity in governance and achievement in realizing prosperity and development for their people.
He added that the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, thanks to the wisdom of their leaders, represent symbols of successful states striving for dignified life for their citizens.
He noted that the book reflects the many shared ties between the leaders of both brotherly nations and emphasized that upbringing plays a crucial role in shaping wise leaders with keen vision.
Assistant Professor at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Humanities, Maryam Mohammed Al Kalbani, confirmed that the Emirati-Moroccan relations, established over decades of trust and consultation, have proven to be a sincere and steadfast brotherly partnership that has transcended the limits of bilateral cooperation to become a strategic space where the visions of the two leaderships converge, recognizing governance as a methodology for producing stability and development.
She added that amid rapid international transformations, both Emirati and Moroccan models have remarkably directed public policies along a forward-looking vision prioritizing human development and strengthening institutions, indicating that the book presents a rigorous scientific examination of this shared perspective and illustrates how wisdom has become a strategic pillar in the leadership of both states.
The book, a collective work published in its second edition in 2025, consists of five chapters across 437 pages, reflecting scientific collaboration between the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies in Morocco and the Office of the Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.
It includes contributions from a cadre of thinkers, researchers, and academics from Morocco and the UAE, including Jamal Sand Al-Suwaidi, Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, and Mohamed Tawfiq Melain, General Director of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies, aimed at studying and analyzing the developmental and institutional experiences of both countries through their leaders’ personalities.
Additionally, it addresses shared interests in foreign policy and the concept of bilateral cooperation in decision-making between the two countries, while highlighting the symbolic significance of the UAE’s opening of a consulate in Laayoune, Morocco, as a political indication of the depth of relations between the two nations.
The book serves as an academic and strategic reference reflecting the quality of relations between Morocco and the UAE, contributing to forecasting the prospects for Arab cooperation by presenting successful models of institutional building, and calling for a collaborative mindset to address developmental and cultural challenges in the Arab world.
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