While Kuwait is going through yet another round of fierce political confrontation between the government and the parliament, the UAE has just celebrated the success of the first week of the Dubai Summer Surprises which will attract 2.2 million visitors.
Similarly, while Emirates airline announced recently that it would be investing $82 billion in the aviation sector, Kuwait Airlines ground engineers went on a strike causing massive delays at the Kuwait airport which was once the regional aviation hub.
All news emanating from Kuwait is political and not particularly encouraging, whereas all news coming from the UAE is palpably economic and mostly rosy. Kuwait is full of political mobility but it is the UAE that has the most dynamic economy in the Gulf region.
And while the UAE goes from one success story to another, Kuwait keeps getting bogged down deeper than ever in a vicious circle of political crises.
The UAE is turning into a promising land of never-ending multibillion dollar mega projects and daring initiatives, but not Kuwait. which is lagging behind and looking like the sick man of the Gulf. The gap between these two sister GCC states is widening by the day.
Kuwait should be mighty proud of its lively democracy which is the oldest and the most institutionalised throughout the Arab world. Kuwait should also be admired for having the best written constitution in the Gulf region.
The 50-seat Kuwaiti parliament is turning into a role model and setting the standard for accountability, transparency and democratic maturity. No one can doubt Kuwait's democratic credentials.
Its cogent political opposition was in full operation last week when it forced the resignation of two cabinet members, one of whom, the minister of oil, is a member of the ruling family. This is highly unimaginable in any of the other GCC states.
But democracy is usually a messy affair. In the case of Kuwait, it has made this previously progressive country, increasingly inward looking. Kuwait is totally consumed by internal bickering and experiencing occasional government paralysis.
The "no confidence" parliamentarian tool has been overused to score personal gains at the expense of national priorities. Worse yet, Kuwait's celebrated political mobility is preventing economic progress.
The country is lagging behind when it comes to fulfilling its economic diversification plans. Oddly enough Kuwait is more dependent on oil revenue today than it was 15 years ago. It has done a poor job in attracting foreign investments.
Contrary to all theories of modernisation, democracy in Kuwait has not generated a corresponding economic reform.
Sharp contrast
The UAE stands as a sharp contrast to Kuwait. The rather successful economic reform has not led to any genuine democratic openings in the country. Surely, the UAE has its focus clear: business and nothing but business. The result is more than impressive.
The UAE is emerging as the fastest growing economy in the Gulf region with GDP exceeding $180 billion by 2007. This amounts to five times Kuwait's GDP of $40 billion.
The UAE's second most prosperous emirate of Dubai has already confirmed its status as a global centre and a possible future Gulf tiger. Dubai has gone way beyond oil and it is living proof that life without oil is not only possible but infinitely better.
While the UAE's economic success is in no doubt, it has little to show on political reforms. The UAE has been extremely slow to attend to the age of democracy. Its ageing national council is a big political embarrassment.
Even after the limited election and the appointment of women as members, the national council remains the weakest legislative body in the Gulf region. There is hardly any public discourse or political happenings of any sort in the county.
The UAE which is certainly a giant economic entity looks more like a political dwarf. Once again, this is a rare case that does not fit well with the basic tenet of the theory of modernity.
For a county that claims to be the first in everything, it is rather odd to be the last in constitutional and political reform among the GCC states.
Despite their deep historical and socio-economic similarities, Kuwait and the UAE have taken two different paths to modernity. Kuwait has solely concentrated on political reform but neglected economic reform while the UAE has gone to the other extreme.
How did these two Gulf states unfold into these two diametrically opposed developmental tracks? Which is the more sustainable model? What can the other GCC states learn from Kuwait and the UAE? Is there a third way that picks up the best and avoids the worst in these two cases?
Probably there is no third alternative. The other GCC states and cities have already made up their mind. To many of them, it is either the Dubai way or no way.
Dr Abdulkhaleq Abdullah is a professor of political science at UAE University.
