Erdogan's visit to UAE holds the key to defeating Muslim Brotherhood

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived Monday in Abu Dhabi for the first time in nearly a decade to revive relations that were long strained by regional disputes.

During this week's visit, Erdogan was expected to sign 12 agreements with UAE partners, ranging from media and communications to economic and defense deals.

Since last year, Erdogan sought to improve ties with regional rivals in the face of increasing diplomatic isolation that has caused foreign investment to dry up. He wants to attract new investment to his country, which suffers from a record level of inflation, the highest since 2002. It is also likely that he will visit Saudi Arabia.

In a bid to expedite reconciliations with his onetime rivals, Erdogan prevented Turkish media from publishing news and reports that may damage relations with many countries in the region.

Erdogan's visit to Abu Dhabi opens up new prospects and ceases Brotherhood's media activity. Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated television networks no longer operate from Turkey to target Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey-based Hamas leaders are instructed to tone down their rhetoric against Israel.

Erdogan also significantly soothed tensions with Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In Libya, he ceased to be protecting his allies in Western Libya by force.

The latest move by Turkey towards the Muslim Brotherhood came as a big surprise for many. It can be said that this is the most distinctive shift in the Turkish attitude toward political Islam in recent history.

It is also important to note that Muslim Brotherhood came under the shock of the Turkish-Egyptian rapprochement that was merely the first step. 

However, it seems almost impossible to convince the large multitudes of ignorant Muslim Brotherhood affiliates and followers that regardless of Erdogan’s personal ideology, his political interests would always take precedence.

Now with the major shift in Erdogan's policy towards political Islam, it is safe to say that Turkish President's visit to the UAE holds the key to defeating Muslim Brotherhood.

Turkey has long provided support to members of Islamist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been designated a terrorist organization in Egypt, the UAE and the Gulf.