So how would I sum up my very first visit to the Middle East? I can only say, that it was a visit to two cities which are very different in nature and character.
If Dubai were a company, it would be Richard Branson's Virgin Group. It is audacious and innovative in the projects they are implementing. Besides the highly publicised "The World", ie the islands being reclaimed in the form of the world, there is also the famous 7-Star Hotel, The Sail, and the ski slope in the middle of the Mall of the Emirates. Yes, a ski slope in the middle of the desert! The people here say that, any thing is possible. They believe it because they have seen it happen.
Doha, on the other hand, is like a stable MNC making considered, deliberate moves, one step at a time. Perhaps it is like Shell? It is also growing, but at a less frentic rate than Dubai. And it is more planned in nature. They are also (I think) aiming to fill a different niche than Dubai. Instead of a ski slope, they are building a Museum of Islamic Art. The other big difference is that Qatar has large resources of LNG whilst Dubai does not. So they can afford to take the time to plan, and have a longer lead time to see investments in their economy bear fruit. Dubai, on the other hand, has had to diversify quickly.
So which city will eventually grow faster, or become the shining city of the Middle East, the entrepreneur or the strategic planner? That's something only time will tell. Inshallah, both will prosper, grow and contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.
