Khalaf Al Habtoor: We do not want anyone outside our region to tell us what our interests are
Quick Look
- Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor warned of external attempts aimed at weakening the Gulf states by targeting their economies, stressing that decisions must be internal and in the interest of our countries and peoples.
- His warning came amid the escalation of Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The warning comes in light of the escalation of Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, which aim to disrupt air traffic and trade and weaken confidence in regional markets.
Emirati businessman and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirati Al Habtoor Group, Khalaf Al Habtoor, said that the decision in the Gulf region must be internal, “from us and in us,” warning of “attempts aimed at weakening our countries through their economies.”
Al Habtoor wrote in his account on the
He added: "Wars today no longer require occupying land to weaken countries. It is enough for airports and ports to be disrupted, for trade and aviation to be affected, for energy facilities to be targeted, and for investments and confidence in markets to decline, until the economy begins to suffer, and with it, people's lives, their businesses, and the future of their children will be affected."
He continued: "What our region has witnessed recently confirms that these risks are no longer just distant possibilities, but have become a reality that we must deal with with all seriousness and wisdom. The ambitions in our region are clear, and we should not ignore them or underestimate their consequences."
He continued by saying, "We must fortify what we have built, prepare for all possibilities, and not allow any external force to drag our region into conflicts that do not serve our interests, or decide our future on our behalf."
He warned against "there being attempts aimed at weakening our countries through their economies, and attacking the sources of their strength and prosperity. We must not wait until these dangers become clear to us after the damage has occurred... What we have built through decades of work, fatigue, and determination, we must not allow anyone to threaten."
This comes at a time when hostilities are escalating between Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, and the group that controls Sanaa and large areas in Yemen is targeting airports in the Kingdom and other oil sites.
The Houthis carried out an attack on Saturday, resulting in 13 deaths and hundreds of injuries at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, as a result of which operations at the airport were temporarily suspended.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites in Saudi Arabia will continue in the short term
Likely · Within weeks
Gulf countries will boost their investments in economic defense systems and shock-resistant infrastructure
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the steps proposed by the Gulf countries to enhance their economic resilience?
- Will these tensions lead to a change in foreign investment policies in the region?
- What is the role of the international community in calming tensions between the conflicting parties in Yemen?
