Dubai and the UAE a Peace Factor: Middle East, Africa, Gaza and Israel

Undoubtedly, the enormous prosperity of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates is setting an example to follow. A development model for oil-producing countries, but also for non-oil-producing countries. But any sustainable economic and social development requires peace. That is why today we will see how Dubai and the UAE have become a factor of peace in the Middle East and Africa, and intend to be so in the conflict in Gaza and Israel.

Peace is one of the necessary foundations for promoting development. While it is true that war has been an engine for innovation and research, it is also true that peace is necessary for well-being to reach all. This is because the resources invested in war and the destruction it produces become a drag on the development of countries.

It is also true that developing amid a conflictive environment is more difficult, as it hinders relationships with your neighbors.

With a view to achieving its own development and a “quieter neighborhood,” Dubai and the U.S. are working to become a factor for peace in the Middle East and Africa region, and at this time especially in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

By supporting those most in need and mediating conflicts in the region, Dubai and the U.S. seek to capture the geopolitical importance they already have in the economic arena.

The strategy to move from just a transport and commercial hub to a pole of geopolitical influence.

But let’s look at the Dubai and UAE model, and how it is gaining relevance on its own merits.

Dubai and the UAE’s economic model

Innocently, some see luxury and architectural megastructures as a misguided way for Dubai and the U.S. to grow. The truth is that Dubai and the UAE are not solely focused on the luxury sector.

Luxury is the facet shown by the media, but the diversification of Dubai and the US is total.

Take the case of Emirates, the airline that is already among the top 10 airlines in the world. It is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world.

The cargo transport subsidiary Emirates SkyCargo is the 4th freight forwarding company globally. Emirates SkyCargo alone operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, with minus 15 aircraft on order.

In this way, Dubai demonstrates how to use oil to grow.

Dubai and the U.S. show us how to “sow oil,” a phrase coined by the famous Venezuelan writer Arturo Uslar Pietri. But let’s dig a little deeper into this sentence.

Dubai and the U.S. are engaged in “Sowing the Oil”?

The phrase “sowing the oil” comes from the Venezuelan writer and thinker Arturo Uslar Pietri. In an interview, the illustrious Venezuelan commented:

“When I said, ‘sow the oil,’ I wanted to quickly express the distressing need to invest the money that oil produced for this Venezuela, which has been helpless for so long, in the development of our economic capacity.”

At the time, oil was transforming Venezuela. But it transformed her in a superficial way.

The problem was that most of the money was being spent rather than invested. It is true that in the 1970s and 1980s there were large investments in infrastructure. But it was also increasingly used in current expenditure, which was not intended to be sustained over time.

This is how the so-called Saudi Venezuela left great infrastructures. But at the same time, it left a growing expenditure and few efficient companies at the service of the country, which would allow us to multiply what the earth was giving us, oil.

Dubai and the U.S. are teaching oil-producing countries a lesson in how to use their oil to grow their economy and relevance.

Oil can become a lever for the development of countries. Some smart ways to boost a country’s development are:

• Education
• Bless you
• Diversification of the Economy
• Physical and legal security

But Dubai is finding its way to plant the oil… Let’s find out below how they’re doing it.

How do Dubai and the UAE use oil for peace?

In the same way, achieving peace requires many elements such as justice and basic conditions.

That is why Dubai in October 2023 allocated $200 million to support lower-income countries through the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust Fund. This fund makes it possible to channel in a transparent manner the aid of the different contributors to the reduction of poverty. Let’s remember that, in regions such as the Middle East and Africa, neighbours of Dubai, we find some of the poorest countries.

Poverty and injustice are drivers of resentment and thus violence.  That is why Dubai, and the UAE are committed to using their resources to help reduce poverty and injustice.

How does Dubai and the UAE contribute to peace in Palestine and Israel?

• Dubai and the U.S. make constant diplomatic efforts with the warring parties. They are in constant contact with the parties to help mediate in a situation that is escalating. War is not good news for development and people. That is why Dubai and the UAE are committed to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.
• The President of the UAE allocated $20 million for humanitarian aid in Palestine. This aid seeks to mitigate the suffering of innocent civilians affected by the counterattack. This aid will be channeled through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, in order to guarantee its transparency and contribution to peace. Let us remember that people’s suffering can turn into resentment and create more violence and increase the risks of terrorism.

These are the ways in which Dubai and the UAE seek to contribute to peace in the region. Undoubtedly, they are of great help to world peace.