The UAE is in the heart of the Antarctic and North Poles, with scientific achievements and historical expeditions

Abu Dhabi, January 10, 2017 – The UAE continues to strengthen its presence in the Antarctic and North Pole through exploratory programs, scientific research, and unprecedented individual voyages, which embody its vision of enriching scientific knowledge and contributing to global efforts to understand climate change and protect the environment.

The UAE strengthened its scientific presence in both poles by officially joining the Antarctic Treaty under Federal Decree No. 165 of 2024, which enabled the country to participate in advisory meetings, submit national research proposals, and establish advanced partnerships with international agencies specialized in climate and polar environment research.

The UAE also issued Federal Decree No. 164 of 2024 joining the Arctic Council as an observer, which strengthens its role in the international dialogue on scientific and environmental issues in the polar regions, and paves the way for broader Emirati participation in future research programs.

Last February, the UAE achieved a pioneering scientific achievement through the first joint expedition with the Bulgarian Institute for Polar Research to Antarctica, where an Emirati team specialized in meteorology and seismic monitoring installed two advanced stations to monitor weather and earthquakes, with the aim of collecting vital data that contributes to improving weather forecast models and studying climate changes and their impact on global weather patterns.

Last November, the Bulgarian research ship Saint Cyril and Methodius launched from the port of Varna in the Republic of Bulgaria, marking the start of the 34th Bulgarian research season to Antarctica, with the participation of an Emirati scientific team for the second year in a row within the framework of the Emirates Polar Program.

The Emirati team will continue to work through the Emirates laboratories at the Bulgarian base in the Antarctic, where this year the research projects implemented within the Emirates Polar Program, which was launched in 2024, will be developed and promoted with the aim of building national capabilities in polar sciences and enhancing the country’s contribution to global climate research.

In 2025, the UAE signed memorandums of understanding with Argentina and New Zealand to enhance cooperation in Antarctic research, exchange academic expertise, and develop national capabilities in polar sciences, in line with the UAE’s strategic approach to confronting climate challenges.

Last August, the National Center of Meteorology signed a memorandum of understanding with the Finnish Meteorological Institute, to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of meteorology and polar research and to develop joint scientific initiatives, aiming to consolidate institutional cooperation between the two sides in scientific and operational initiatives in the field of meteorology, with a focus on exchanging experiences and best practices, especially in polar research, within the framework of the growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Finland.

The UAE not only participated in research and exploration, but also presented prominent national names on exceptional trips to both the Antarctic and North Pole, in a true embodiment of the challenging spirit of the people of the Emirates and their insistence on creativity and contribution to human knowledge in the harshest environments on Earth.

The achievement of Fatima Abdul Rahman Al Awadhi (18 years old) this January was a natural extension of the Emirati achievements in the field of exploratory trips, as she became the youngest Arab woman to reach the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica, which is the highest mountain in Antarctica with a height of approximately 4,892 metres.

The Emirati explorer, Ibrahim Sharaf Al Hashemi, also participated in an air mission that completed the first circular flight around Antarctica using two helicopters, during the period from December 4, 2024 to January 17, 2025, in an unprecedented achievement, making him the first Emirati to participate in this historic journey.

The expedition set off from Union Glacier and returned to it, covering a distance of 19,50 kilometers, on a journey that took more than a month, after careful planning that lasted 7 years to overcome logistical challenges and harsh weather conditions.

Abdullah Al Ahbabi is considered one of the most prominent Emirati explorers in the world of polar exploration, as he became the first Emirati to reach the North and South Poles during a single trip, and the youngest Arab to achieve this achievement in 2018, after he succeeded in April of the same year, in skiing towards the North Pole for a distance of hundreds of kilometers in harsh conditions, overcoming temperatures reaching -40°C, and on a subsequent trip to Antarctica, he completed a long route across Ice reaches Antarctica.

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter