The United Arab Emirates continues to strengthen its active presence in global forums, leveraging its soft power and international credibility to secure leadership roles across prominent international and regional organisations, councils, and committees.

Throughout 2025, a number of distinguished Emirati figures have been elected to high-level international positions, reflecting global confidence in the UAE’s capabilities and its citizens’ contributions to international affairs.

A landmark achievement came with the election of Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais as Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for the 2026–2029 term. She became the first woman in history to hold this position since the organisation’s founding in 1975, further solidifying the UAE's leading position internationally.

Members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), representing more than 1,400 organisations from 160 countries, re-elected Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak as President of the Union for a second term during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. She is the first president from West Asia and the second woman to lead IUCN in its 77-year history.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly, during its 150th session held in Uzbekistan, elected the UAE as a member of the IPU Health Committee, represented by Dr. Sedra Rashid Al Mansouri, Member of the Federal National Council (FNC).

Additionally, Mira Sultan Al Suwaidi was elected Chair of the IPU Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, reaffirming the UAE’s growing leadership role in shaping global sustainability agendas.

In April, the World Economic Forum selected Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Community Development; Meera Sultan Al Suwaidi, FNC Member; and Tuka Waddah Alhanai, Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering at New York University Abu Dhabi, as members of the Young Global Leaders Council 2025, further reflecting the UAE’s growing influence in global thought leadership.

The UAE Ministry of Interior assumed the presidency of the INTERPOL Committee on Governance — one of the organisation's main committees — marking another milestone that underscores the nation’s integrity, reliability, and leadership in international security cooperation. The Ministry also joined INTERPOL's Global Congress on Chemical Security and Emerging Threats Steering Committee, becoming the first GCC country to hold a seat on the committee.

In another significant achievement, the UAE was elected President of the General Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for the first time, and secured membership in its Executive Board.

The UAE also secured membership on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for the seventh consecutive term, winning the majority of votes during the elections.

During the fifth Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water, hosted recently in Jeddah, the UAE was elected as a member of the Water Council of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which oversees the implementation of the organisation’s water vision and promotes technical, research, and scientific cooperation among member states