What defines an Emirati? Interestingly, in a society where tribes and traditions still hold deep roots, a lot of what is used to identify an Emirati is based on what is seen on the surface.
Your name, tribe, the way you look or the way you talk. Speak a little differently and you raise eyebrows. If your skin is a little too dark or a little too light, people start wondering what your story is. Then when you hit them with the news that your mother or father is not Emirati you get the familiar excited response of “I knew it. I knew there was something different about you”, but how different am I?
It was a question I always used to think about growing up. A lot of children who have grown up in a multicultural household seem to wonder which side to lean towards.
For me, throughout most of my younger years, I was a typical British boy, spoke mainly English, went to an international school and pretty much only wore national dress at Friday prayers or on special occasions, such as going around the neighbourhood during Eid asking for money from people I didn’t know. When I got to Grade 11, I had a slight transformation. I started wearing a kandura more often, hanging around with other Emiratis, and tried to speak Arabic as much as I could, often times failing miserably.
Funnily enough, it was only when I went to the United Kingdom that things started to shift. I lived with Saudis and Emiratis, so I was speaking Arabic all the time, watching Arabic TV, and cooking (yes, you read that correctly) Arab food, most of the time. When I graduated and came back to the UAE, I had changed a full 180 degrees. I rarely wore western clothes, spoke Arabic regularly and married an Emirati woman. The question still remains, however. How different am I?
Deep inside I always believed that I wasn’t that different at all, but I had a hard time putting it into words. Using myself as an example, most “halfies”, for lack of a better term, will usually say that their father is Emirati and their mother is from Scotland, or vice versa, others will say they are half Emirati, half Scottish. However, it wasn’t until Omar Ghobash, UAE ambassador to Russia, whose mother is Russian, was being interviewed last year at the Arab Media Forum did I hear the best self description to date.
During the on-stage interview on UAE achievements, the interviewer mentioned several times how he was “half Russian”. Ambassador Ghobash then stopped the interviewer and said: “For clarification, my mother is Russian, I am 100 per cent Emirati.”
That was it. As a viewer I saw a man who identified himself with the country that raised him, the country he represents and the country he fights for politically or otherwise – it made so much sense.
When we focus on the surface of what identifies an Emirati, such as names, tribal lineage or skin tone, we miss what really makes an Emirati – their national spirit, their love for the country, and their willingness to work hard for it and faith – however, you can’t see all that on a birth certificate or a passport.
My mother and father raised my brothers and I in the UAE. We carry UAE passports, we work for UAE Government entities. Both my brothers have completed their National Service and my father volunteered during the Gulf War. My uncles work in the Army and police. I married an Emirati lady and together we raise two Emirati boys. I work on national initiatives and have volunteered on national missions raising the UAE flag in the countries we have supported. My mother is British and I love her – however, I am 100 per cent Emirati. It is all I have ever known; it’s the country I love and work for every day. So how different am I? I don’t think I’m that different at all.
Khalid Al Ameri is an Emirati columnist and social commentator. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife and two sons.
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
