Saudis and UAE form exclusive trade and military partnership

Kuwaitis likely to view agreement as ‘offensive’ to their efforts to unite region

dubai.jpg
Early morning in Dubai, UAE
(Image credit: Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirate have formed an exclusive trade and military partnership - a move that could antagonise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is trying to ease tensions amid a six-month blockade of Qatar.

The UAE foreign ministry said today that the emirates and Saudi Arabia would coordinate military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities. The two countries already have close military ties in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed rebels.

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