Dubai is an inspirational story that shows what visionary leadership can do for a country and its people. Dubai under the guidance of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has become a jewel of the Arab nations.
I had the opportunity of going atop, the Burj Khalifa. The views are breathtaking, you can see the entire city and the beautiful skyline. It is currently the tallest building in the world and stands at 829.8 m (almost 1km) with 163 floors.
How did a small fishing town in very harsh climatic conditions become a jewel and hub for trade, business, and finance? My only conclusion is Visionary and Selfless Leadership.
UAE’s GDP in 1980 was $44 billion and now stands at over $500 billion.
Dubai was a small fishing town a century ago. It was also strategically located to provide trade routes East and West. Oil was discovered around the 60s but the reserves were small compared to other OPEC and Arab nations. They decided to invest the oil profits in infrastructure development which would attract more trade and investment into the city. The aim was to make Dubai a modern international city.
Tourism was also an attractive proposition to bring more people from all walks of life into Dubai. In just a short time Dubai was the go-to place for all architectural firms, real estate developers, and investors. This was because of the friendly investor policies by the government.
Dubai now tops as one of the destinations to visit for any tourist. It is also a financial center and hub for many Fortune 500 companies. This is a model that many governments and countries can emulate for economic prosperity for their citizens.
From one of my favorite books, it says ‘Where there is no vision people perish‘.
Dubai now has the biggest of everything; buildings, malls, theme parks, artificial islands, man-made marvels, cars and more.
In Dubai, you do not feel like an outsider since 90% of the population is made up of foreigners.
Let us be inspired to dream big and take action.
It always seems impossible until it is done.
They say the sky is the limit for ambition. We say the sky is only the beginning. ~ His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
