unity and common purpose. Abu Dhabi’s leadership
has laid down a road-map for a bright future. The
initiatives that Vision 2030 has identified will be
fuelled by the masses of oil receipts that benefit the
Emirate.
Indeed, the fact that the Government of Abu Dhabi
is not burdened by the short-term concerns that
democratic governance necessitates surely frees their
hand in mapping out such broad development.
It must be understood from the outset, that the lines
that separate the public from private sector in Abu
Dhabi are not drawn in the European mould. The
nature of this oil-based economy dictates that it is the
Government that holds the liquidity and therefore
there are a great many branches of Government,
both wholly-owned and semi-state, that cross into
territories that would normally be the remit of the
private sector. In turn, the limited private sector that
does exist, exists to serve the requirements and the
interests of the massive public infrastructure.
Leadership
The residents of Abu Dhabi, both indigenous and
foreign, appear to be fully in support of, appreciative
of, and in spirit at least, in the service of, the
Government. There is a cohesive Government
and business community, moving in unison, in one
direction under the auspices of the Al Nahyan Ruling
Family.
Sheikh Zayed, the late founder of the United Arab
Emirates is a much loved figure. His image adorns
many offices and public spaces, along with those
of the sons who continue the dynasty today; His
Highness Sheikh Khlaifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the
President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The Al Nahyan family are widely regarded as
benevolent and visionary rulers. Inhabitants of Abu
Dhabi are happy to speak of their many virtues.
From the outsider’s perspective, it seems that this
respect and deference has engendered a kind of
cohesion and common purpose throughout the
business community that has created momentum.
The Government’s objective is to become one of the
top five governments in the world. It has used Vision
2030 as the catalyst to put Abu Dhabi on a sustainable
path “towards an ideal economy”, as the Department
of Economic Development’s refrain suggests.
Oil & the need for diversification
We live in a world obsessed with fluctuating oil
prices, the concept of peak oil and ways in which
to wean ourselves off the oil addiction. Abu Dhabi,
one of the leading providers of hydrocarbons in
the world, has come up with a feasible plan which,
pending the accuracy and steadfastness of its
implementation, should see the Emirate emerge as a
leading light of the post-hydrocarbon age.
This, more than anything, is what Vision 2030
is about. If one is to analyse the economy of Abu
Dhabi having removed oil from the equation, a very
different picture is painted. Due to the finite nature
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