UAE to create 'Sandhurst' type military college

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has issued a decree to establish a national defence college to train the next generation of Emirati military leaders.

The college, to be affiliated to the General Command of the Armed Forces, will be based in Abu Dhabi and will specialise in preparing and qualifying the military and civilian leadership, news agency WAM reported.

It is likely to be similar to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK, commonly known as Sandhurst, which is the British Army officer initial training centre.

The college will also identify and assess the challenges facing the national, regional and international security, it added.

The new facility will also "study the principles and requirements for managing and employing the state's resources in order to protect national interests", according to a statement published by the news agency.

Lieutenant General Obaid Mohammed Al Ka'abi, Under Secretary of Defence Ministry, described the college as the top national institute for military, security and strategic studies which would analyse threats to national security and find solutions to them.

Article 2 of the decree stipulates the formation of a Supreme Council for the National Defence College with the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces as its chairman.

The council will be responsible for the adoption of regulations, curricula and educational and training programmes to create future military and civilian leaders.

The council will also determine "the strategic priorities and issues of national, regional and international security", WAM added.

In November, it was reported that three of the six Gulf states have topped the world’s top ten most militarised nations.

According to the latest Global Militarisation Index by the Bonn International Centre for Conversion (BICC), the Middle East is the most militarised region in the world with all of its countries ranked among the top 40.