In 2013, United Arab Emirates celebrated in pomp, ceremony and joy the 42 anniversary of National Day.
Forty-two is in the life of men`s a time of reflection and decisions, in time of nations is barely a time of beginnings. United Arab Emirates are having a lot to appreciate and to be proud off in all this short span of time.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan: the founding father of United Arab Emirates
In 1968, when the British empire was living his last hours in the region, the vision of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan was to create a state of equilibrium and a force of moderation in the Arabic Gulf area. Squeezed between the emerging power of Shah`s Iran and of Saudi Arabian Kingdom, the small Gulf states could only envisage a future of moderation and balancing in order to survive.
Today, this policy of moderation and equilibrium carved out by the funding father of UAE-Sheikh Zayed and continued by his successor Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed is reaching a peach of recognition and appreciation worldwide and also is receiving international plaudit`s as a pillar of security and development in the area.
UAE: THE FORCE OF MODERATION AND THE MODERATION OF FORCE.
In 1971, when the flag of United Arab Emirates reach out for the first time to the sky, the country inaugurated what will be a long tradition of moderating tension and avoiding confrontation, in an area where neither one or the other is lacking. United Arab Emirates inaugurated their presence on international stage by repulsing Iran attempts to take advantage of the British withdrawal and saving the region from an all-out conflict.
This policy of negotiation and appeasement re-surfaced during Iran-Iraq war, when United Arab Emirates wise and calibrated policies assured the continuing flow of oil by the straits of Hormuz and avoided regional escalation. The support for Kuwait independence in 1990 and the moderation policy in all the tensions of the areas had gained recognition for the country as a force of stability and continuity in foreign policy of the troubled region.
As UAE Foreign Minister stated to the United Nations, the driving force of UAE foreign commitment is build upon “the principles of peaceful coexistence, peaceful resolution of the international disputes and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states”.
These principles insured a high standing of United Arab Emirates in the world and also in the Arab region, during the so called Arab spring.
United Arab Emirates straightforward policy of rejecting internal interference, of supporting human rights and rejecting support for terrorism, had enshrined the name of United Arab Emirates in the heart of every Arab, as a country of stability and order.
A country that is building and not destroying, a country that is protecting and not killing hopes and peoples.
The lesson of United Arab Emirates, that knows how to moderate his force by obeying to the international norms is a golden lesson that makes today UAE a beacon of hope in a troubled region.
UAE: A FORCE FOR HUMANITY.
The Arab convulsions left in tatters a huge region, from North of Africa to the Middle east and millions of people refuges, displaced or victim of hunger in their own countries.
In a time of insecurity and predicament, the United Arab Emirates shared their influence and power to alleviate sufferance`s across the region.
Hundreds of millions of dollars where directed to the refugees camps in Jordan or Lebanon, in one camp alone 20.000 peoples are regularly protected and all their needs meet by the help of United Arab Emirates.
Lorries loaded with humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees
In the troubled hit Egypt, UAE had poured 4.9 USD billion to support economic recovery and to insure the road to economic stability as a precondition for political equilibrium.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, had clearly marked this generous help is conditioned by “a policy of peace, security, tolerance and love” that will insure stability in the country and the world.
The same helping hands can be seen across the Palestine territory, supporting the legitimate right of Palestinian state in 1967 borders and Al Quds al Sharif ( Jerusalem) as his capital.
From Pakistan and India to Nepal and Kenya, Morocco and Guinea, UAE is sponsoring projects of education, irrigation, poverty eradication and promoting equality of chances and development of rural communities in celebrated initiatives as: Dress One Million Needy Children, a project destined to provide clothing to one million poor children across the world.
By the size of his humanitarian projects sponsored across the world, related to the population and surface UAE ranks the second in the world in front of countries like United States, Japan or Italy etc.
The most recent disaster stricken country, Philippines, received on the spot 10 million’s dollars to help the authorities cope with the humanitarian crisis.
This long track record of assistance and donor capacities made Sheikh Khalifa to describe his country as “a state of giving, pace and security”.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan-UAE President wants to create a state of peace, security and generosity
UAE: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
The positive force of UAE is not only reaching far and wide, but is starting from the home build miracle.
In the last two decades United Arab Emirates had succeeded to build a promised land for more than 200 nationalities and developed his economy by a staggering 200 times, comparing with the independence year-1971.
This powerful economic development is shared also with the communities of expats and foreign workers, that contributed to this economic miracle , most recent a three year plan, envisage to spend 36 USD billion to improve health, educational and material conditions of working force in UAE.
All this having as a goal, to create a society that is “a paradise for citizens and foreigners alike, that are living in peace in a tolerant community and free from segregation and injustice.”
The economic development of UAE is not only building his capacity as a donor for humanitarian projects, but is also insuring his capacity to develop economic project`s around the world.
Solar powered plants are build today in Mauritania and Morocco, solar technologies are having a hub in the Masdar Institute of Technology and Masdar City and environmental projects are providing a life worth living for millions around the world.
All regional economies are benefiting from continuous economic miracle build by the emirates. This force of reaching and affecting the life`s of everyone gets a new confirmation in the crushing vote in supporting Dubai as host of World Expo 2020.
From Romania in Central Europe to United States in American continent and Arab and African countries, everyone has supported Dubai role as a hub for new technologies, tourism, and economic development and as center of the new Silk Road, connecting China-Europe and South America via Africa.
After being declared World Best Tourist Destination in 2008, now as a host of World Expo 2020 United Arab Emirates are having a new opportunity to create the future by connecting minds, as the logo of the new world exhibition is proclaiming.
Masdar City-an area of clean , solar energy.
LESSONS FROM UAE.
What are the lessons of all this 42 years of this emotion full adventure, that we call United Arab Emirates?
Off course, economists, politicians and cultural experts will draw many conclusion for how to make a nation building, but I will settled for two major conclusion.
The force of UAE is projecting is the force of moderation , a powerful and rich country that is not using his influence in fostering conflicts and confrontation but in building nations, supporting humanitarian causes and promoting world unity and cooperation.
Second is the success of the model of inclusiveness.
UAE did not build walls of segregation`s and created an economic miracle for citizens and foreigners alike, a society constructed on solidarity will survive, one build on separation will succumb, this is the lesson that UAE is teaching the world.
Witnessing the 42 anniversary of UAE you might be in awe from the tall Burj Khalifa, or admire the economic productivity of Dubai World or to be inspired by the Dubai winning bid for World Expo 2020, but what I found most inspiring was the multitude of people, coming from all the corners of the world, wearing the T-shirts or signs of funding fathers of UAE in a sign of gratitude for the country that targets to be a paradise for all: United Arab Emirates.
Anton Caragea 