The Middle East has been in constant conflict for decades- perhaps since the beginning of the last century. It has not been ten years without a war or a revolution.
Despite all this, seven rulers had successfully managed to reunite their people under a single banner. They did so at a time where Arabs were in a state of great despair and weakness, especially following what later came to be known as the “Nakba 1967”, and the failed attempts to bring about an Arab unity.
Two years after the creation of the Union, a spate of crises befell the region and followed one another starting with the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973 and the Iran-Iraq war that spanned eight years and then the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, followed by the war in Afghanistan, not to mention the emergence of Islamist militant movements, the Iraq war and recently the Arab Spring.
Through all the hardships and stresses, the UAE has been an integral part of its Arab and Islamic neighboring and emerged as an exceptional country that respects all religions, races, and creeds. It led by example, dazzling the world and attracting major companies and tourists from various parts of the globe.
The UAE has never thought of exporting its model, but rather made it available for everyone to emulate. It extends a helping hand to those who are in need without prejudice.
In the same way as the past 50 years were rife with crises and achievements; the next fifty will also be full of the same and even more. Let us consider the ideology imported or emanating from our region and the magnitude of terrorism that racked the Middle East. We have not been deterred from pursuing our goals and ambitions and we act based on well-thought-out plans and forward-looking strategies.
It is true that the road was a bit bumpy, but that did not pose a barrier, rather it was a catalyst for achievements.
We do always take lessons from crises and turn them into opportunities. This is what the UAE government, its people, internal security agencies and military forces do believe in.
The UAE has also played a significant role in peacekeeping operations on the global scale. Our armed forces proved trustworthy in the Yemeni war and helped transform it into safe and secure country.
Additionally, the UAE provides a very high religious, personal and economic freedom compared to other countries. So just pause a second and think of it, where will we be in the next fifty years despite all surrounding circumstances, wars and ideological conflicts that the region will go through?
