The miracle in the desert

As the United Arab Emirates celebrates its 40th birthday, it is a proud moment not just for the people of this young nation. It has become something of an inspiration to the whole Gulf region and the wider Arab world. Perhaps no country in history has accomplished and achieved so much in such a short time. Yet today, all these achievements are taken for granted by a majority of the UAE's citizens, who were not even born when the country achieved independence. They are taken for granted, too, by the vast majority of an expatriate population thoroughly used to the comfort and security that the UAE offers, coupled with world-class infrastructure.

However, when the journey began on December 2, 1971 — 40 years ago — none of it was there. The Emiratis started with a clean slate but an unshakable belief in themselves.

Until then, the seven shaikhdoms of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain had been under the shadow of the British and were known as the Trucial States. Bringing them together to form a new country and nation was truly a Herculean feat. But more remarkable by far was the success and progress achieved after the federation came into being.

Without a shred of doubt, it was the vision and leadership provided by the architects of the federation — the founding president, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, and the first prime minister, vice-president Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai — that made it possible. They transformed what were no more than a handful of remote fishing villages and trading outposts in the desert into a prosperous, peaceful and modern country that today enjoys extraordinary geopolitical clout, its tiny size and small population notwithstanding.

Spirit of collaboration

They demonstrated to the world the power of unity in action. Today, the UAE's GDP and per capita income are on a par with the richest countries in the West. If ever there was a miracle in the desert, this is it.

It was their farsighted policies and together with their concern and love for their people, whom they encouraged to become partners in the amazing development of the nation, that made the UAE what it is today. It is that spirit of collaboration that has enabled the country to remain unaffected in a troubled region and to continue moving forward.

While people elsewhere in the Middle East have been craving for basics such as dignity, rights and political and economic freedom, the Emiratis have been playing a decisive role in the development and progress of their nation.

It is this political harmony and tolerance that have attracted world-class professionals from around the world, making the UAE a truly multicultural melting pot of a nation and, arguably, one of the best places on earth to work in. This steady march of progress has continued under the current leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This second generation of leadership has remained loyal to the vision of the first. Investing in infrastructure and in the people, they have focused completely on further developing and building the federation. This is perhaps why it remained largely unaffected by the ravages of the global economic meltdown of 2008. The same balanced approach has been followed in the UAE's relations with the rest of the world. While passionately championing Arab and Muslim causes, the country has gone out of its way to maintain friendly relations with everyone in the region and beyond.

This, again, is a legacy of Shaikh Zayed who, alongside my country, Saudi Arabia, took a proactive approach to Arab-Islamic causes, notably the Palestinian dispossession, Arab and Islamic unity, and reaching out to the peoples of Afghanistan and the Balkans when they faced aggression and oppression.

The UAE has always stood with the Palestinians, helping them economically, politically and emotionally. It was Shaikh Zayed who joined with the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia when he took the extraordinary step of switching off oil supplies in protest against Israeli aggression. It was a courageous move given the challenges the Arabs faced at the time.

What heartens me the most is the UAE's consistent concern for Arab and Islamic unity. Be it on the question of Palestine or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the country has always been there, trying its best to resolve conflicts and promote peace. The same approach has been followed in its relations with its neighbours, going out of its way to sort out issues peacefully and amicably.

The dispute with Iran on the issue of three islands — the Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mousa — is a case in point. Despite repeated Iranian provocations, the UAE continues to maintain remarkable restraint and normal relations with Tehran.

As this miracle in the desert turns 40 years of age, the audacity of its vision remains breathtaking. There seems no limit to its ambitions and plans. The future seems to have even more exciting and interesting things in store for it.

With its exuberant optimism, the UAE serves as a bright example to others in the region and further afield. It demonstrates that dreams, even the impossible, can come true — so long as you really believe in them and work to make them a reality.

Happy birthday UAE! 

Khaled Al Maeena is a veteran Saudi journalist, commentator and Editor-at-Large of Arab News, published from Jeddah. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Arab News for 23 years in two stages.