UAE an "island of stability" in an unstable region: Tony Abbott

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Tony Abbott speaks at ‘The Knowledge Summit’ in Dubai.
Tony Abbott speaks at 'The Knowledge Summit' in Dubai.

Reflecting on the UAE's role in the world, Abbott said that the country's distinguishing feature is a strong sense of national identity coupled with a sense that new ideas are to be welcomed.

By Bernd Debusmann Jr.

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Published: Mon 5 Dec 2016, 2:00 PM

Last updated: Mon 5 Dec 2016, 4:48 PM

The UAE is a model of "stability and prosperity" in the Middle East that must be maintained, according to former Australian PM Tony Abbott.
"Something is going right here, and it's important to appreciate it," he said. "But we must always remember that prosperity and stability are fragile and you must be constantly working to maintain that."
Reflecting on the UAE's role in the world, Abbott said that the country's distinguishing feature is a strong sense of national identity coupled with a sense that new ideas are to be welcomed.
"You can see with your own eyes. Every sense tells you this place is successful in a way that so many other places are not," he noted. "And when a successful country says let's talk about something which they think is important, others want to listen."
"The features of the UAE which distinguish it from many comparable countries are respect for tradition, but openness for change," he added.
Additionally, he added that the multicultural UAE should show the people of the West - in which many countries are experiencing rising Islamophobia - that Islam is not, in any way, incompatible with other cultures.
"You look at a place like Dubai, and the animating spirit here is so conducive to so much that we value. People don't flee Dubai, they flock to Dubai," he said. "What's happening here is just about all good. There is nothing in Islam which precludes the kinds of things we all want and value."
bernd@khaleejtimes.com


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