Today's Edition
Abdulaziz Ahmed Alshehhi*
When UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the United Arab Emirates is “emerging stronger”, he painted more than a moment of confidence.
He expressed a national philosophy that has been a framework for the UAE’s response in a changing world, during regional and international turbulence, and amidst economic shifts and transformations.
For this nation, crises are not viewed as obstacles or mere challenges that require survival. They are seen as an opportunity to strengthen its institutions, as a window to sharpen its vision and a chance to reiterate and enforce its role as a stable and future-looking state.
In the Middle East, a region that is often shaped by conflict and looked at through a lens of instability, the UAE has always followed the path of resilience, strategic calm and most importantly, the path of preparedness.
That was demonstrated before through global economic shocks, through pandemics and through previous regional security threats; the country showed the world that it has the ability to absorb pressures without losing its sense of direction.
This is not a coincidental or accidental result. It is the fruit of strong governance, long-term strategic planning and a leadership model that was walking and living among us, even in the thick of all things.
The UAE made it an art, the art of transforming uncertainty into opportunity. While states facing such events usually take a defensive approach, the UAE uses them to incubate and accelerate transformation.
The investments in AI and smart governance, the diversification of the economy, the early investments in national defence industries and in renewable energies all reflect this “art” in the broader national strategy.
As such, the UAE emerged as a regional hub for finance and trade, as a haven for global events that connect cultures and perspectives, and as a hub for innovation and technology.
Even during times of tension, global companies continue to invest and expand in the UAE, like Blue Owl Capital, a $315 billion asset company, established a regional HQ in Abu Dhabi, and other companies have continued to expand in the country during the past three months.
The number of expatriates from some nationalities has even increased in the last three months, under the slogan, “In the UAE, everyone is Emirati”.
This confidence is one of the clearest signs that the UAE is not walking blindly, weighed with uncertainty, but it’s pushing through and strengthening its position through all of it.
Avoiding storms is the smart thing to do, but when a storm is unavoidable, a state should always have the capability to navigate such storms with confidence and resilience.
“Emerging stronger”, the words of His Highness the President, did not need reiteration or confirmation. It is a belief that makes the UAE the nation it is, and draws the framework of the nation it is always marching to be.
*Senior researcher & deputy general manager at TRENDS Research & Advisory
