Today, the Emirati people celebrate the 44th anniversary of the creation of the United Arab Emirates. And we, the foreigners living in the UAE, are celebrating together with them. For what has been achieved by and in this country is truly remarkable.
The UAE has progressed at the speed of light since 1971. Recently, an Emirati friend showed me pictures of Abu Dhabi in the 1960s. There were hardly any streets suitable for car traffic. A few days ago, the final race of the Formula One 2015 season was held in Abu Dhabi. The speed of the cars reflects the pace of development of a country that is still 44 years young rather than old.
To me, what has propelled the UAE's exceptional development is a triad of unity, identity and modernity.
The “spirit of the union” has enabled the founding of the UAE. Its persistent nurturing has created a sense of nationhood that supplements rather than supplants pre-existing social bonds.
Together with tradition, culture and religion these bonds mould a national identity that provides for both: unity and the ability to embrace rapid change. For it requires firm roots to travel at the speed of light and not be overwhelmed by it.
Epitomised by the symbiosis of the kandura or abaya and the smartphone, the Emirati people have managed to be citizens of the 21st century while preserving and adapting their culture and identity. And this comes with a friendliness and hospitality that has stood the test of rapidly changing times.
Today, the UAE stand out as a pole of stability in a region marred by violence and deprivation. Stability based on tolerance and diversity.
Such stability is a vital ingredient of national unity and a dynamic economy. The UAE has made great strides in diversifying the economy away from oil and oil-related industries. But His Highness Sheihk Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has expressed an even more far-reaching vision: When in 50 years time the last barrel of oil might have been shipped abroad, it ought to be a moment of celebration rather than desperation.
For this to happen, the UAE has set on a course to become a knowledge-based economy. In essence, this implies mobilising and investing in human resources.
While there used to be a time when Europe was at the receiving end of knowledge and innovation created and disseminated by Arab scholars and pioneers, today the Arab world is nearly absent in international patent statistics.
Yet, we are living in an age in which science and technology, propelled by critical thinking and problem-solving skills, are key determinants of economic and social progress and thus of political stability as well.
Nurture your talents and equip them for global competition — these maxims go a long way to explain the success of German football and German engineering. Consequently, “Made in Germany” enjoys a high reputation worldwide and in the UAE as well.
Germany has thousands of large-scale as well as small- and medium-sized companies that have a track record of ingenuity and versatility. Their entrepreneurial culture values efficiency, reliability and long-term thinking, and they invest in their most precious resource: the skills and dedication of their workforce. So in more than one way Germany should be an ideal partner for the envisaged transformation of the UAE’s economy.
In developing such a “transformation partnership”, we can build on a vibrant relationship. Bilateral trade and investment are flourishing. Tourism is booming. All this makes for a relationship based on mutual interests. But this is just part of the story.
It is said that states have eternal interests but no eternal friends. Eternity is a long time. Much too long for an earthly life. Here on earth we can and we must forge relationships underpinned by human bonds. For the fabric of such bonds is stronger than interests. True friends share more than interests. They help each other in time of need.
These are testing times for our Emirati friends. They have lost many lives in the war in Yemen. We feel with you. Some of the injured servicemen are being treated in Germany. We will do our utmost to help them recover as fully as possible.
Terrorism is the scourge of our time. It has claimed countless lives and caused immeasurable suffering. It also is a primary source of the march of the desperate millions that is mislabelled as a “refugee crisis”. For it is not the refugees that are causing the crisis. Unending conflicts and persistent misery are prompting people to set out on a journey that has cost thousands of them their lives.
What is needed is a collective global response to alleviate the suffering and to address the root causes of forced migration. As members of a broad international coalition, the UAE and Germany are collaborating to deliver such a response. And we can do so not least because our two countries represent pillars of stability and prosperity in their respective regions. Happy Birthday, UAE.
Dr Eckhard Lübkemeier is German ambassador to the UAE
