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UAE has thrived in a tough neighbourhood

Despite the political, social chaos and hardships, the UAE has remained an integral part of the Arab and Islamic neighbourhood.

The Middle East has been on the boil for decades, perhaps since the beginning of the last century. Not even a single decade has gone by without a war or a revolution that didn't stir people out of their homes onto the streets.
Yet, in the midst of social unrest, political volatility, seven rulers had successfully managed to reunite their people under the banner of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. They did so at a time when Arabs were in a state of great despair, afflicted with doubt and weaknesses. The Nakba (1967) had just happened, and several attempts to unite the Arabs had failed miserably.
Social and economic crises paralyses the Arab world frequently. Two years after the creation of the union, in 1973 the Arab Oil Embargo was imposed. It was followed by the Iran-Iraq war that spanned eight years. In the nineties, Arabs witnessed the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The turn of the century didn't bring any change or respite either and started with the war in Afghanistan. Over the last two decades we have seen the emergence of Islamist militant movements, the Iraq war, and recently the Arab Spring.
Despite the political, social chaos and hardships, the UAE has remained an integral part of the Arab and Islamic neighbourhood. And it has prospered too. At a time when Iraq war was unfolding, Dubai was focusing on developing free zones to invite the best firms in media and technology sectors to its shores. Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City came into being around this time. Between 2008 and 2010 when the global financial crisis had gripped the world economy, Dubai managed to complete two of its landmark projects - Dubai metro and Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world.
Development, social and urban, has been the guiding principle for the leadership in the UAE. The emirates has managed to stay clear of conflicts and focus well on building its metropolises and attract human capital from all over the world. And it has done so responsibly. Today, the emirates has a special place on global platforms. Dubai, especially, scores high on various indices - be it the top cities to live in, top cities to visit or work, ease of doing business, etc. The UAE on the whole is well-respected for its diverse society where all religions, races, and creeds live amicably. Religious intolerance is a hate crime here.
The UAE is the only oasis of peace in the region that has been fraught with conflicts. Yet, it has never thought of exporting its model, but made it available for everyone to emulate.
The emirates has played a significant role in peacekeeping operations on the global scale. Our armed forces, for example, proved trustworthy in the Yemen war and have been helping transform the country into safe and secure place. 
Additionally, the UAE provides high degree of religious, personal, and economic freedom - features that are not conspicuous in countries regionally.
The UAE's model of governance inspires and there is no reason to doubt its continued prosperity and march towards a brighter future. Should we be worried about the future of this place which is surrounded by areas marred with wars and ideological conflicts? I don't think so.
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com