I was very pleased to meet with my friend and colleague His Excellency Maqsoud Kruse appointed as Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs UAE for Countering Extremism and Terrorism.

I congratulate both His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, for appointing Maqsoud and Maqsoud for his leadership in combating extremism and terrorism.

As the Executive Director of the The International Center of Excellence for Countering Extremism and Violent Extremism – Hedayah popularly as Hedayah since its establishment in December 2012, Maqsoud and Dr. Ali Rashid A Noaimi championed public awareness and specialist understanding to defeat threats.

Having worked with both these leaders over the years, I am convinced of the commitment of the UAE to build a safe and secure GCC. To defeat extremism and terrorism, they promote tolerance, coexistence, and moderation, values enshrined in Muslim and Islamic history.

Press release of appointment: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/mediahub/news/2026/1/8/uae-abdullah-bin-zayed

In the following video, I explain the far-reaching and long-term focused counterterrorism strategy implemented by the UAE in relation to the banning of the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda affiliates functioning in the Middle East, including in Yemen.