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She will arrive in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this evening and later in the week travel to the neighbouring GCC nation of Oman the 40th anniversary celebration.
The UK Government is attempting to reinvigorate its relationship with states in the region and launched its Gulf Initiative in the summer to promote the aim, officials said.
Britain has deep historical ties with the area's Arab nations and shared links across a range of topics from defence, trade and climate change to culture, education and health, they added. The Queen has already hosted a state visit by the Emir of Qatar last month - a trip to the UK that bolstered Britain's ties with the Gulf.
She is joined by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, during her two-day visit to Abu Dhabi and also is accompanied by Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Her second son, The Duke of York, in his role as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment, will also join the royal party for part of the Abu Dhabi leg of the visit.
One highlight of the trip will see the Queen visit the impressive Sheikh Zayed Mosque or Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi later today, a building named after the sheikh who was the first president of the UAE, according to the trips programme.
During her first full day in the emirate, the Queen will receive an official welcome from Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Khalifa, and while Philip and Andrew attend a military reception with a flypast of aircraft, she will have a private meeting with Sheikha Fatima, the wife of the late ruler.
Britain's trade with the UAE is considerable, it is the UK's 13th largest export market and by far the largest in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia.
British companies operating in the UAE include BP, Shell, Rolls-Royce, HSBC and most of the FTSE top 250 firms, while tens of thousands of British citizens are based there.
The royal will arrive in Muscat, the capital of Oman, tomorrow evening for a two-day state visit.
Asmaa Malik
Global Arab Network
The UK Government is attempting to reinvigorate its relationship with states in the region and launched its Gulf Initiative in the summer to promote the aim, officials said.
Britain has deep historical ties with the area's Arab nations and shared links across a range of topics from defence, trade and climate change to culture, education and health, they added. The Queen has already hosted a state visit by the Emir of Qatar last month - a trip to the UK that bolstered Britain's ties with the Gulf.
She is joined by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, during her two-day visit to Abu Dhabi and also is accompanied by Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Her second son, The Duke of York, in his role as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment, will also join the royal party for part of the Abu Dhabi leg of the visit.
One highlight of the trip will see the Queen visit the impressive Sheikh Zayed Mosque or Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi later today, a building named after the sheikh who was the first president of the UAE, according to the trips programme.
During her first full day in the emirate, the Queen will receive an official welcome from Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Khalifa, and while Philip and Andrew attend a military reception with a flypast of aircraft, she will have a private meeting with Sheikha Fatima, the wife of the late ruler.
Britain's trade with the UAE is considerable, it is the UK's 13th largest export market and by far the largest in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia.
British companies operating in the UAE include BP, Shell, Rolls-Royce, HSBC and most of the FTSE top 250 firms, while tens of thousands of British citizens are based there.
The royal will arrive in Muscat, the capital of Oman, tomorrow evening for a two-day state visit.
Asmaa Malik
Global Arab Network
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