The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has joined the African Union (AU) as an observer, becoming the first Gulf nation to join the organization, it was announced Saturday.

Youssef Essa Hassan Sabri, UAE's ambassador to Ethiopia, delivered a letter from UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to African Union Commission President Jean Ping, pertaining to UAE's membership to the Union as an observer. The letter also pertains to the appointment of Sabri as UAE's observer at the AU.

The accession of the UAE to African Union is considered one of the country's major gains at the international forums, as the AU plays an important role in the international arena in general and on the African arena in particular.

UAE's accession will enable it to attend the AU summits and conferences and present topics and issues of importance that concern both UAE and Africa, thus paving way to develop UAE's relations with African countries.

Source: IANS on March 26 2011