The Arab World’s Most Influential Leader Touches Down in Bariloche,Argentina.
In a momentous and discrete arrival, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the emir of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates, landed in Bariloche this past Monday. The event was marked by unprecedented security measures as the leader arrived at the Aeropuerto Internacional Teniente Luis Candelaria aboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner—a landmark first for the airport.
The visit, characterized by a veil of discretion, included three massive aircraft appearing at the scene, including the Boeing Dreamliner known as “Abu Dhabi Amiri Flight“, and two others—an Airbus A340-313 and a C-17 Globemaster from the Emirati Air Force. In addition, the airport witnessed a flurry of activity with a convoy of about fifteen vehicles and three helicopters mobilizing in a well-coordinated operation.
The emir’s journey was distinctly private, and he is expected to visit Las Marías Estate in El Manso, some 100 kilometers from Bariloche. The estate is part of over 50,000 hectares owned by Emirati royal investments, including picturesque native forests and pristine waterways adjacent to the Chilean border.
The presence of capital from Abu Dhabi in the region is notably increasing, illustrated by recent high-profile energy agreements. Just prior to the emir’s landing, XRG, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), sealed a deal with YPF and ENI for the Argentina LNG project to export liquefied natural gas originating from Vaca Muerta.
Facilitating these significant ventures is Matar Suhail Ali Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, a close associate of the emir, with logistical and local engagement overseen by Tomás Bergter, a Bariloche-based landowner and representative. Meanwhile, security was rigorous, with no photographs or recordings allowed, ensuring the emir’s activities remained out of the public eye.
This visit underscores an intensifying Arab presence in Patagonia, indicative of strategic and economic relationships with Argentina that promise to shape regional landscapes and economies.
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
