This week, the UAE government, its citizens and expats, my family, and many of my team, celebrate the country’s Golden Jubilee. And I cannot overstate how proud we all are. It’s rare to see the unity of a country engraved so profoundly on not only its natives, but also in the guests who have made it their home.
I came to the UAE as a young man, full of ambitions and dreams. And I found a home in a dynamic and quickly growing local technology industry. But even back then, with my young head in the clouds, I would not have been able to predict the incredible heights to which the industry, and the country I became enamored with, would reach.
Today’s UAE is almost unrecognisable from the one I first landed in. It is now a global powerhouse, and it’s reached these heights through an incredible journey, which I’m proud to have shared in. I’ve witnessed first-hand the wisdom of the country’s leadership, the drive of its decision-making teams, the courage of its public servants, and the ambitions of its people – all working towards a singular goal to drive the country forward.
What’s most impressive, though, is that even in the early days, that vision was shared by everyone who set foot in the country – from tourists describing the UAE as a hidden gem, to the workers like me who had found a new home here. Everyone wanted the UAE to succeed. And that’s a phenomenon that I’ve seen nowhere else in the world.
And look at where this shared vision has brought us. The UAE now leads, or at least competes near the top, wherever you look. It’s consistently ranked highly on education, on healthcare, on the happiness of citizens, on peace and security. That’s without mentioning the incredible infrastructure projects, or taking the country’s ambitions to space.
But as well know, the journey doesn’t stop here. The drive to succeed, to push forward, has never been stronger in the UAE – which is one of the reasons why I continue to be proud to call the country my home.
The country has a way of giving its citizens and residents a shared purpose, and right now that purpose is not to focus on the past, but to look to the future.
The shared vision is now to make the UAE the best country in the world by 2071. And based on the citizen experiences that are provided here, the UAE is well on its way. Nowhere else in the world do I feel that my children go out anywhere, anytime, and be safe. With no other country’s airline do I feel like I’m already home the moment I step on the plane. And nowhere else in the world do I see such a dedication to citizen wellness and happiness. The experience here is already second to none.
This is a country that prioritises experience, and I thank its leadership for giving me, my family and my team the experiences of their lives over the last 50 years. We can’t wait to see what the next 50 bring.
Nidal Abou-Ltaif is president, Avaya International
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by Andrew Sambidge
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UAE At 50: A shared vision for incredible experiences
The UAE has a way of giving its citizens and residents a shared purpose, says Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president, Avaya International
This week, the UAE government, its citizens and expats, my family, and many of my team, celebrate the country’s Golden Jubilee. And I cannot overstate how proud we all are. It’s rare to see the unity of a country engraved so profoundly on not only its natives, but also in the guests who have made it their home.
I came to the UAE as a young man, full of ambitions and dreams. And I found a home in a dynamic and quickly growing local technology industry. But even back then, with my young head in the clouds, I would not have been able to predict the incredible heights to which the industry, and the country I became enamored with, would reach.
Today’s UAE is almost unrecognisable from the one I first landed in. It is now a global powerhouse, and it’s reached these heights through an incredible journey, which I’m proud to have shared in. I’ve witnessed first-hand the wisdom of the country’s leadership, the drive of its decision-making teams, the courage of its public servants, and the ambitions of its people – all working towards a singular goal to drive the country forward.
What’s most impressive, though, is that even in the early days, that vision was shared by everyone who set foot in the country – from tourists describing the UAE as a hidden gem, to the workers like me who had found a new home here. Everyone wanted the UAE to succeed. And that’s a phenomenon that I’ve seen nowhere else in the world.
And look at where this shared vision has brought us. The UAE now leads, or at least competes near the top, wherever you look. It’s consistently ranked highly on education, on healthcare, on the happiness of citizens, on peace and security. That’s without mentioning the incredible infrastructure projects, or taking the country’s ambitions to space.
But as well know, the journey doesn’t stop here. The drive to succeed, to push forward, has never been stronger in the UAE – which is one of the reasons why I continue to be proud to call the country my home.
The country has a way of giving its citizens and residents a shared purpose, and right now that purpose is not to focus on the past, but to look to the future.
The shared vision is now to make the UAE the best country in the world by 2071. And based on the citizen experiences that are provided here, the UAE is well on its way. Nowhere else in the world do I feel that my children go out anywhere, anytime, and be safe. With no other country’s airline do I feel like I’m already home the moment I step on the plane. And nowhere else in the world do I see such a dedication to citizen wellness and happiness. The experience here is already second to none.
This is a country that prioritises experience, and I thank its leadership for giving me, my family and my team the experiences of their lives over the last 50 years. We can’t wait to see what the next 50 bring.
Nidal Abou-Ltaif is president, Avaya International
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