The United Arab Emeritus is a nation on the edge of the Arabian Desert
and abuts the Arabian Sea. It is a union of 9 Sheikhdoms with Abu Dhabi being
the biggest and Dubai the most developed. All the 9 states are developed though the degree of development
and prosperity is may vary.
The UAE is comparatively an oasis of peace and the norm of arson and
violence so endemic to other Middle East nations like Egypt, Syria and Iraq is
absent here. In the ultimate analysis
the UAE has charted a different path and is also relatively more secular than
the other Middle East nations. It also gives equal opportunity to all its
residents.
In great measure this secular approach is the result of pragmatic and
realistic policies followed by the rulers led by Sheikh Maktoum of Dubai and
Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi. The approach can be seen in the largest Sikh
gurudwara (temple) in the Middle East at Jebel Ali in Dubai. There are also
many functional churches in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE and Dubai in particular has developed as a financial center and
tourist paradise. Millions of visitors
come to UAE for a holiday and Dubai is the second busies airport in the world
after New York. There is a vast expatriate population that constitutes almost
80% of the population of UAE, with people from India and Pakistan making up the
bulk. In fact the entire country is run by workers from the sub –continent.
With such a large expatriate work force the chance of an agitation like the ones witnessed in other
Middle East nations during the famous ’Arab Spring’ are totally absent here and
probably will never take place. Thus the UAE has a stable political environment and
organizations like the IS( Islamic State) are unable to find any roots at this
place.
There is also a property boom on and many well-heeled Englishmen and
Indians are buying homes in UAE. This ownership of property is allowed by the
rulers who have adopted a pragmatic approach. In addition Dubai s developed as
a world financial center. Millions of tourists visit UAE, making Dubai the
second busiest airport in the world after New York. It follows a tax free
regime and foreign businesses have flocked to UAE. The bigger gain is in tourism and there is nothing to match dubai with sand safaris and camel rides and belly dancers.
The UAE is an oasis in a troubled Middle East and one wonders why other
Muslim nations cannot take a leaf from the book of the UAE.
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