Dubai, Kuwait and Riyadh turned away from the past to make way for modern skyscrapers, but UAE’s Sharjah takes a different tack. Bloomberg economist Ziad Daoud interviews Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi for his take on how Sharjah aims to “acknowledge our distant as well as our recent past” through art and architecture. Read more »
UAE
The UAE-Saudi relationship isn’t about competition
Over the past few months, much has been said about the relationship between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, some of it strikingly shallow and misinformed. Is there competition and differences of opinion and approach on some issues between the two Gulf powers? There certainly is. Competition, in fact, is one of the secret recipes of the UAE’s very own success. Read more »
Emirati history told by Emirati voices is an invaluable gift to posterity
Few countries have witnessed the changes that the UAE has over the past 52 years. There are endless accounts of folks who were born into mudbrick houses who went on to become cabinet ministers, ambassadors, business personalities and teachers. Countless indeed, but very few are documented in depth and written down for others to read and learn from. It is high time that the generation of Emiratis who have witnessed the birth of this nation put pen to paper the events they have witnessed and the stories behind them. Read more »
Succession planning in family businesses need not be an epic drama
Nearly three quarters of the UAE’s private sector workforce is employed by family enterprises. Taking further steps to manage transition and inheritance will help such firms thrive. Read more »
Dr Al Jaber’s role at Cop28 makes sense and fits with the UAE’s vision
The appointment of UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Al Jaber as President-designate of Cop28 has generated worldwide headlines and not necessarily all of them are of the kind one would hope for. What Dr Al Jaber presents, as head of an oil company, is the opportunity to confront the serious matter of energy transition and climate head-on. Read more »
How Emirati ‘nabati’ poetry has kept pace with the changing times
Emirati “nabati” (vernacular) poetry was for many years initially spoken among a close-knit group and disseminated widely by word of mouth across the Arabian Peninsula by scholars and poets alike. However, with the arrival of newspapers in the early 20th century and advent of technology such as the radio and television in the mid-20th century, a wider audience gained access to this ancient art form that relies on a strong command of the Arabic language as well as quick-witted creativity and passion. Read more »