Desert phenomenon: Emiratis recall UAE's journey

Abu Dhabi - Citizens recall the nation's dazzling journey from a country with few facilities and infrastructure to ?the thriving economic and tourism hub it is today

In less than 50 years, the UAE has blossomed from a sandy desert into a global phenomenon, an oasis that is rich in history, modernity and even a vision of a hopeful future.
Emiratis who have witnessed the growth of this magnificent country shared their stories and memories of the UAE on the eve of Khaleej Times' 40th anniversary.
They also gave an insight into how the UAE citizens quickly adapted to the country's rapid change, and how they are looking forward to witnessing the continuing journey of growth and dynamic development that this nation is known for.
"Before the federation, the UAE was a different world to what it is today," recalled Salem Al Shehhi, a prominent Federal National Council (FNC) member, and a man who has witnessed the early changes of the country.
"I remember when I was a young boy, at around the age of five, I would walk almost six kilometers a day from the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, just to get to school. We just had a handful of schools available back then; there was no solid education system and all the books were imported from outside, and most of the teachers also came from other countries."
Al Shehhi said that prior to the founding of the UAE out of the seven emirates, people led extremely simple lives.
"We didn't have the road networks and infrastructure that we have today, so it was extremely difficult to travel around the country. It would take a long time to reach my parents in Dubai from RAK. We were traveling on the sand and I remember it would take a long time to just to get to them."
From sea to skies
He said fishing has always been a deeply embedded tradition in the UAE's history, because their ancestors survived on fishing. "Most Emiratis lived and relied solely on farming and fishing, because that was the way of life back then. As simple as it was, life back then was also very difficult at times."
However, Al Shehhi said that the nation's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, had a different vision for the UAE and for its peoples. "Sheikh Zayed truly cared about the happiness of the people living on this land. He wanted to provide all the fundamental necessities for the people and had a vision that the UAE would compete with the top nations in the world in every sector. This is indeed what we are witnessing the country achieve today.
"Sheikh Zayed loved and cared about the UAE and its progress, and this love and passion has been embedded in us all."
Although the UAE was already sitting on top of oil wealth, it was the development of education that changed the game. "The UAE was already wealthy because the oil was there - but what was needed was education, and that was one of Sheikh Zayed's top priorities.
"Without education, there is no life. Once the education system began to take its shape, the country began to blossom in many ways."
Al Shehhi also recalled how Emiratis, in particular the Bedouins, got their medical treatment more than 50 years ago. "People relied a lot of natural and herbal medicine and remedies; we didn't have the dynamic healthcare system and modern medicine that is available today," he added.
"Even if people encountered severe illnesses, they rarely travelled abroad for treatment, because they couldn't afford it."
Apart from the development of education and healthcare, the late Sheikh Zayed also immensely focused on the people's living conditions. "The day the UAE was formed, everyone has a sense of immediate security."
Although the production and export of oil allowed the UAE to advance, it was how the leaders invested in its people that truly allowed the country to flourish. "Before the union, many Emiratis studied in universities abroad and this also allowed the nation to advance, because those who were educated abroad brought back their knowledge and contributed to the country's growth."
"Look at the UAE today. We now have some of the top universities in the world," he added. The FNC member stressed that education has been and will always be a key and contributing factor to the dynamic growth and journey of the nation. "Education also allowed other entities to develop, including the healthcare sector, the environment and sustainability sector and even the space sector."
"The government also focused greatly on the rights of citizens, on women empowerment, and employee rights."
The UAE has developed into a multi-cultural nation, a centre for art, media, architecture, technology and rising modernity. "We excelled in many fields of modernity and technology.
"The country's leaders continue to develop new initiatives and bright ideas and continue to invest heavily in talented people, and I hope to see the UAE become the number one country in the world in all aspects."
Above all, the UAE today is ranked one of the safest countries in the world, and is now home to more than 200 nationalities living and working side-by-side, something that Al Shehhi did not imagine would happen when he was a young boy walking those six long kilometers to school.
A rising star
Dr Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, Emirati political scientist and associate professor at UAE University, told Khaleej Times that the UAE has certainly grown and prospered beyond anyone's imagination.
"The UAE has grown beyond my imagination and that of all its citizens; it has just gone beyond anything we could have thought of 30, 40 or 50 years ago.
"The country has reached places where we contemplated only in our wildest dreams," he added.
Dr Abdulla pointed out that he is proud to have witnessed the nation develop into a global phenomenon, an economic and tourism hub. "It is now a rising star, with regional influence and with a global network of friends, allies and partners. I think any Emirati who has gone through these past few decades is proud of what the UAE has accomplished."
Dr Abdulla highlighted that he is looking forward to seeing the nation's continued success. "I think the UAE is very clear where it wants to be, in 2021 and in 2030. The UAE is the only country in the region that is talking about 2050."
"His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, already said that in 2050, the last drop of oil will be exported and the UAE will no longer by an oil-based economy. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, talked about UAE 2071 and it's very clear idea about where it wants to be in the future. As a matter of fact, it is already living in the future."
Dr Abdulla stressed that in a region which faces challenges and obstacles, the UAE is setting a positive example of how countries can blossom and evolve, despite being in the centre of conflict and chaos. "I think the UAE will continue to be more of the same, which is a solid record in all indicators - social and economic development. "The UAE wants nothing but to be a role model for the rest of the region, a successful story in a region full of failures, chaos and instability."
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai
• Ras Al Khaimah