I have travelled to the UAE countless times, in various capacities – privately, as Austria’s foreign minister and later as my country’s chancellor. In recent years, I have spent about one week per month here, even establishing an office in Abu Dhabi. In many ways, it has become a second home.
The reason is simple: the UAE is an exceptional place to do business and to live. It is a global magnet for talent. According to Boston Consulting Group estimates, the UAE last year attracted nearly 178,000 highly skilled professionals, a 21 per cent increase compared to the previous year. And the country not only attracts talent, but it also ranks first globally for “brain gain”, reflecting its ability to integrate people from all over the world into its economy and society.
It is also one of the places with the lowest crime rates on Earth. Abu Dhabi has been ranked the world’s safest city for 10 consecutive years.
And while infrastructure is deteriorating across much of the West, the UAE continues to invest at scale. The contrast is striking: while the UK built about 700 kilometres of new roads in 30 years, the UAE added more than 10,000 kilometres in just two decades.
Beyond business and security, the UAE has also become one of the world’s most vibrant destinations. It does not simply welcome visitors, but it also sets global standards. From the highest density of luxury hotels worldwide to a culinary landscape that spans Michelin-starred restaurants and authentic street food, the country has built a hospitality ecosystem that competes with the very best, from Ibiza to Bali.
And yet, during my most recent visit, something felt different.
The UAE, a beacon of security, found itself on the frontline of a major conflict, with the shortest sea distance between its border and that of Iran being less than 50 kilometres. The implications were immediate and tangible: missile threats, drone activity, restricted air space and disruptions to one of the world’s most critical trade routes, the Strait of Hormuz.
Beneath the surface, the pressure is even more intense, and nowhere is it more so than in the digital domain. Having built a sovereign AI company that also provides cyber security solutions, I am acutely aware of how severe such attacks often are. Critical infrastructure, energy grids, transport networks and financial systems have become a permanent battlefield alongside the physical one.
What stands out, however, is the response.
The UAE has demonstrated an exceptional ability to defend itself across both physical and digital domains. This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of a governance model built for speed, execution and long-term thinking. While many western countries struggle to respond decisively in times of crisis, the UAE has shown how state capacity can translate into real-world security and stability.
This achievement reflects a deliberate ecosystem, combining private sector ambition with world-class research institutions. Abu Dhabi’s G42, one of the most ambitious artificial intelligence companies anywhere in the world, is anchoring a new generation of sovereign technology infrastructure.
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President Sheikh Mohamed with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the Make it in the Emirates summit in Abu Dhabi. All photos: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Mohamed with Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, left, and Shamsheer Vayalil, founder and managing director of Burjeel Holdings -
Sheikh Mohamed greets Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Bahrain's ambassador to the UAE -
The President with representatives of Emirates Global Aluminium -
Sheikh Mohamed tours the summit at Adnec -
Sheikh Mohamed with Dr Al Jaber -
Sheikh Mohamed greets Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Also pictured is Sheikh Mohammed, right -
Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan, Minister of State, left, speaks to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs -
Sheikh Mohamed during his tour of the four-day summit
The UAE has built the institutions, the talent base and the strategic commitment to thrive.
And yet there have been some visible effects of the ongoing conflict. Malls, hotels and beaches have been quieter than usual for a couple of weeks.
But that is only one part of the picture, and a temporary one. Every day, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are becoming livelier again.
What remained unchanged throughout is the underlying mindset that has defined the UAE for decades: resilience, ambition and an almost instinctive ability to think beyond the immediate crisis. If anything, this mindset has intensified. As during the Covid-19 pandemic, decision-makers are already focused on what comes next, using disruption not as a setback, but as a catalyst to optimise, invest and reposition.
This is what sets the UAE apart.
The country remains one of the best places in the world to do business, to live and to visit.
Residents know it is safe – and have seen that this is true even under pressure.
And those who are overly concerned about tourism should recall the many predictions during the pandemic that global travel would fundamentally decline. The opposite has happened. Tourism has surpassed pre-Covid levels worldwide, with the Middle East leading the recovery, now more than 30 per cent above 2019 levels. As soon as winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, beaches will be full again across the Emirates.
Yes, this is a bump in the road. But it is a bump on a path that continues to rise steeply.
After a week in the UAE, I can assure you that this country is very much up and open for business.
