Commentary: From gahwa to global peace, how UAE's majlis culture redefines mediation

Editor's note: This is a guest column co-authored by Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Daheri, Deputy Director-General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), and Ahmed Alshamsi, CEO of the Emirates Foundation Mediation has traditionally been understood through formal procedures and institutional negotiation frameworks. The UAE approach complements this by prioritising trust-building as a precondition for dialogue. It reflects a distinctly Emirati style of communication, grounded in long-standing social practices where human connection, presence, and mutual respect precede formal negotiation, and applies these principles in a structured way to modern diplomacy. The UAE blends its own cultural traditions with its mediation style to shape dialogue and ensure effectiveness. Recommended For You In Emirati tradition, this often begins with the simple yet meaningful gesture of a warm welcome and the offering of Arabic coffee ( gahwa ), creating a human connection before any substantive exchange takes place. The majlis , a traditional Emirati gathering space for socialising, exchanging views, and consultation, offers more than a cultural reference point. It provides an underlying logic for how trust is formed and dialogue initiated in Emirati diplomatic practice. Within a majlis, communication is not immediately transactional, nor driven by rigid protocol. It begins with the creation of relational space, where presence, attentiveness and hospitality precede negotiation. Arabic coffee, which was recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, is central to this process This is not merely symbolic; the practice of welcoming guests with Arabic coffee serves as an intentional first step in communication, signalling openness, respect, and readiness to engage before moving into matters of substance. The sequence of serving coffee, moving through shared interaction and concluding with expressions of continuity reflects a progression from access to trust. This process reflects a communication style rooted in patience, listening, and human connection where relationships are established before positions are negotiated. This pattern is reflected in the UAE’s approach to mediation. Trust is not treated as an outcome of negotiation but as a precondition for it built through consistent, human-centred communication rather than formal exchanges alone. Emirati diplomatic practice therefore places emphasis on the conditions that allow dialogue to begin, rather than only on the formal structure of talks. The relational discipline embedded in the majlis informs this approach, shaping how access is managed, how engagement is sequenced and how continuity is sustained when formal negotiations are not yet possible. It is a unique style, which has proven its success. On the other hand, traditional mediation frameworks, while essential to international order, often depend on structured negotiation formats that assume sustained direct engagement between parties and shared readiness to translate dialogue into implementation. In practice, several long-running peace processes have demonstrated the limitations of this model when these conditions are not consistently present. The Israeli–Palestinian peace process, despite multiple structured initiatives since the Oslo Accords, has experienced repeated cycles of engagement without durable implementation. Similarly, mediation efforts on Syria under successive international frameworks, including UN-led Geneva talks and parallel diplomatic tracks, have continued over extended periods with limited convergence on core political settlements. These experiences illustrate the constraints of formal mediation when communication channels are fragmented and trust is insufficient to sustain agreements beyond the negotiation table. Where these dynamics are present, alternative approaches to mediation, including the UAE’s, place greater emphasis on sustained engagement and on the conditions that enable dialogue to emerge and endure. This extends beyond formal mechanisms to include the quality of communication itself. This perspective is reflected in three consistent mediation techniques used by the UAE: First, The UAE maintains communication channels with parties that may not directly engage with one another, whilst maintaining a pragmatic view. In practice, this has been reflected in facilitation efforts such as UAE-supported Russia–Ukraine prisoner exchange channels, which required parallel engagement with both sides despite minimal direct contact between them. The UAE has facilitated over 22 mediation initiatives in this conflict alone, resulting in the exchange of over 6000 detainees since 2022. The function of mediation here is not immediate agreement, but the maintenance of connectivity where diplomatic channels are otherwise limited. Second, sequenced engagement rather than single-intervention diplomacy. UAE mediation efforts tend to evolve through repeated contact, discreet facilitation and incremental confidence-building. This approach has been visible in Abu Dhabi-facilitated dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2023 and 2024, in the post-conflict context following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. During this period, multiple rounds of engagements took place, including a high-level leaders’ meeting in Abu Dhabi in July 2025, which was the first formal bilateral meeting following agreement on a draft peace framework earlier that year. Discussions have focused on technical and incremental issues such as border delimitation of a roughly 1,000km shared border, transport connectivity and steps toward normalisation of relations. Progress has occurred in stages, with the emphasis here not on immediate outcomes, but on sustaining dialogue through continuous, relationship-driven communication. Third, neutral facilitation. This refers to the UAE’s practice of engaging with all relevant parties without alignment to any single position, operating as a balanced intermediary while maintaining credible and consistent access to each side. It is grounded not only in impartiality, but in the ability to communicate credibly and consistently with all parties. Its importance lies in preserving dialogue in environments where trust is limited or absent. A clear example is the United Arab Emirates’ pivotal role in mediating and ending the long-standing border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It hosted and oversaw the peace negotiations that culminated in the signing of the Abu Dhabi Declaration in July 2018, bringing an end to the state of war and opening new horizons for regional cooperation and stability in the Horn of Africa. The UAE’s activities are supported by institutional reach. The UAE maintains an extensive diplomatic network with more than 100 missions worldwide. It served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2022–2023, where it emphasised de-escalation and humanitarian access across multiple files. It is also among the leading providers of foreign aid relative to national income, reinforcing its credibility as a long-term international partner. The same logic shapes how the UAE builds capacity at home. A nation’s ability to mediate abroad is, in part, a reflection of the institutions and human networks it cultivates internally. In this regard, Emirates Foundation occupies a distinctive position. As the UAE’s national foundation for youth development and social impact, it sits at the intersection of government, the private sector and civil society, convening these three constituencies and translating their differing perspectives into collaborative programs that serve a common purpose. In addition, by cultivating a structured community of Emirati specialists across policy, diplomacy, technology, sustainability and development, the National Experts Programme (NEP), developed under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, is another example that bridges institutional divides and informs dialogue wherever it is needed. The UAE’s value lies in its distinctive practices to how dialogue is initiated and sustained through a model of communication that prioritises trust, cultural understanding and human connection, both at home and abroad, before formal negotiation begins. The result is a form of mediation that combines continuity with structured engagement, rooted in a mindset that prioritises people, trust, and dialogue . One should look no further than the Emirati majlis to understand the UAE approach.