The Three Seas Initiative and the Graz Triangle Relations Towards the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

The presented research is the first such study on Austria, Croatia, Slovenia‎(Graz Triangle) as a part of the Three Seas Initiative from the perspective of‎the United Arab Emirates. After 2015, when the Three Seas Initiative was‎initiated, the United Arab Emirates greatly intensified its relations with this‎geographical area. In this study, the author relied on international practice‎and role theory, supported by the analytical and empirical case study method.‎Moreover, the researcher verified the study results through ten-year participation‎in many processes and phenomena of the investigated area, including‎as Ambassador, Senior Advisor to Dubai Expo 2020 responsible for strategies‎and dynamizing the Three Seas Initiative countries’ relations with the‎United Arab Emirates. The obtained findings indicate that the Graz Triangle‎states have the potential for further relations development with the United‎Arab Emirates. However, to give its strategic significance, the implementation‎project should be within a broader formula, i.e., the Three Seas Initiative.