The north should embrace change

Opportunities exist for the Northern Emirates to become incubators for small businesses

A 100 Emirati staff handle 3,000 calls a day at the du call centre in Fujairah. Antonie Robertson / The National

'This area is beautiful, but it lacks services." This comment from Jamel Hasan, a resident of Umm Al Quwain, seems to sum up the experience of many people who live in the Northern Emirates. A recurring theme among those interviewed for a series of stories in The National this week about the smaller emirates has been that the lifestyle is great, but the amenities leave something to be desired. In Ajman, for example, the pace of development has meant that some new buildings lack mains power and water connections.

For many in the north, it is a matter of maintaining traditional lifestyles while enjoying the benefits of modernity. Challenges include creating enough jobs to prevent a brain drain into the big cities, and building better communication and transport networks to mitigate the tyranny of distance.

The Northern Emirates have not enjoyed the same growth momentum as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If they are in the shadow of their larger cousins, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with that. They cannot and should not aspire to compete on economic terms but to seek opportunities that are entirely new or complement what is happening elsewhere in the country.

This has already begun to happen. Sharjah is carving out a reputation as a centre of culture and learning. Ras Al Khaimah is exploiting its prime position on the coast and offers a range of beach resorts that appeal to local and international tourists. Fujairah is home to a du call centre where 100 Emirati staff handle 3,000 calls a day.

Al Ain offers an example here. Although part of Abu Dhabi emirate, it has forged its own identity as a centre of technical excellence. In a deal between Boeing and Strata Manufacturing, aircraft components will be built in the city. Strata’s parent company, Mubadala, also plans to build helicopters in Umm Al Quwain.

With innovation very much the buzz word today, the Northern Emirates are ideally poised to be incubators for niche businesses in emerging industries. There can be a big future in small ideas, and the smaller emirates should be nimble enough to embrace them.