The UK government has deployed the royal family to roll out the red carpet for Gulf leaders in the hope that they will secure a free trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
In November King Charles welcomed Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Buckingham Palace and Prince William launched an exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society in London with Oman’s Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham.
Trade between Britain and the GCC is currently at £57 billion, and is predicted to rise by 16 per cent after the negotiation of the free trade agreement. Human rights organisations have criticised Gulf states for violations including high execution rates and treatment of foreign workers.
Jeed Basyouni, who leads Reprieve’s work on the death penalty in the region, told The Guardian: “No one is suggesting the royal family shouldn’t promote Britain’s interests abroad. But they should be clear about the costs of celebrating some of the world’s worst human rights abusers and tacitly condoning their actions – both to the victims of these abuses and the UK’s international reputation.”