According to a report in the Financial Times, the former UK prime minister has become very close to Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi as the two share strong anti fundamental Islamist views.
However, rather than looking to further business contracts for Tony Blair Associates in the region, the FT reports a close aide as insisting having a permanent base in the United Arab Emirates would be to service existing government contracts, including with Kazakhstan and Romania.
According to its website, Tony Blair Associates “works with governments on the path of reform providing advice and support on key areas of governance, modernisation and implementation”.
It also works with multinational corporations to provide “geopolitical and strategic advice” and “brings together institutional investors with potential investment opportunities”.
Blair remains a controversial figure in the Middle East, last week coming under fire from leaders of the Western world for suggesting the US and Britain should intervene in the current resurgence of hostilities in Iraq caused by invading Sunni led militia, ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
Blair was also heavily criticised for publishing an essay in which he suggested the 2003 invasion of Iraq led by US and UK forces was not to blame for the current crisis in the country and has since received calls from former leading British diplomats to resign his role as Middle East peace envoy for the United Nations.
This story was updated on at 2:30pm on 24 June
