Time to reflect on region after a tumultuous year of Arab Spring

This is a time of reflection for many of us on the Arab Spring. One year on from Mohammad Bu Azizi's tragic act of defiance, we have just seen elections in Egypt, the opening of Libya to the world and the Arab League leading on the search for an end to the violence in Syria.

Truly a tumultuous year, with people across the region crying out for opportunities, jobs and prospects and rejecting the violent repression of legitimate demands. With 65 per cent of the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region under 30, the young in particular have wanted to be heard, calling for systems and societies they can believe in.

Long-term stability in any part of the world depends on citizen consent and participation. I firmly believe that we should seize every opportunity to increase equity and prosperity in the region and that there can be no substitute for meeting people's legitimate aspirations. But in this neighbourhood, these are not the only factors; a more stable Middle East in the future needs a different paradigm for Palestine and for Iran to turn away from its current course of developing nuclear weapons. None of this will happen overnight.

As I look at other countries in the region and across the world, I see in the UAE some of the best opportunities and services provided to its citizens.

Just check out the quality of housing, education, health and employment here. The UAE also takes very seriously the rights of women. Women make up 75 per cent of university students and continue onto higher education at a rate higher than their male counterparts.

Shared outlook

People across the UAE see Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as the Founder of the Nation, with his defining vision for the UAE acting as the compass by which decisions are taken to this day. This vision is rooted in traditional ways of engaging society in decision-making through the majlis and other tribe-based forums. But it also embraces new means — whether an expanding electorate to the consultative Federal National Council or engagement of citizens' debate on Twitter.

I am proud that both the UK and UAE take the aspirations of their people seriously. We may not always get it right, and we are living through a time of global economic turbulence, but I am sure about our intentions.

I believe that this shared outlook on responsibility towards citizens was one of the factors that enabled us to come together so well in assisting the people of Libya towards freedom, on being on the same page on Yemen, and of course on working together to end the shocking situation that the citizens of Syria currently face.

We've got a good partnership; and we need it — the challenges we face together in the Mena region and beyond are enormous.

Dominic Jermey is UK Ambassador to the UAE.