The intellectual battle against ISIS

DUBAI: The global financial crisis taught the world how profoundly interdependent our economies have become. In today’s crisis of extremism, we must recognise that we are just as interdependent for our security, as is clear in the current struggle to defeat ISIS.

If we are to prevent ISIS from teaching us this lesson the hard way, we must acknowledge that we cannot extinguish the fires of fanaticism by force alone. The world must unite behind a holistic drive to discredit the ideology that gives the extremists their power, and to restore hope and dignity to those whom they would recruit.

ISIS certainly can - and will - be defeated militarily by the international coalition that is now assembling and which the UAE is actively supporting. But military containment is only a partial solution. Lasting peace requires three bigger ingredients: winning the intellectual battle; upgrading weak governance; and grassroots human development.

Such a solution must begin with concerted international political will. Not a single politician in North America, Europe, Africa, or Asia can afford to ignore events in the Middle East. A globalised threat requires a globalised response. Everyone will feel the heat, because such flames know no borders; indeed, ISIS has recruited members of at least 80 nationalities.

ISIS is a barbaric and brutal organisation. It represents neither Islam nor humanity’s most basic values. Nonetheless, it has emerged, spread, and resisted those who oppose it. What we are fighting is not just a terrorist organisation, but the embodiment of a malicious ideology that must be defeated intellectually.

I consider this ideology to be the greatest danger that the world will face in the next decade. Its seeds are growing in Europe, the United States, Asia, and elsewhere. With its twisted religious overtones, this pre-packaged franchise of hate is available for any terrorist group to adopt. It carries the power to mobilise thousands of desperate, vindictive, or angry young people and use them to strike at the foundations of civilisation.

The ideology fuelling ISIS has much in common with that of Al Qaeda and its affiliates in Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. What most worries me is that a decade ago, such an ideology was all that Al Qaeda needed to destabilise the world, even from a primitive base in the caves of Afghanistan. Today, under ISIS, adherents have access to technology, finance, a huge land base, and an international jihadist network. Far from being defeated, their ideology of rage and hate has become stricter, more pernicious, and more widespread.

The destruction of terrorist groups is not enough to bring lasting peace. We must also strike at the root to deprive their dangerous ideology of the power to rise again among people left vulnerable by an environment of hopelessness and desperation. And, on this note, let us be positive.

The solution has three components. The first is to counter malignant ideas with enlightened thinking, open minds, and an attitude of tolerance and acceptance. This approach arises from our Islamic religion, which calls for peace, honours life, values dignity, promotes human development, and directs us to do good to others.

Only one thing can stop a suicidal youth who is ready to die for ISIS: a stronger ideology that guides him onto the right path and convinces him that God created us to improve our world, not to destroy it. Credit is due to our neighbours in Saudi Arabia in this field for their successes in de-radicalising many young people through counseling centres and programmes. In this battle of minds, it is thinkers and scientists of spiritual and intellectual stature among Muslims who are best placed to lead the charge.

The second component is support for governments’ efforts to create stable institutions that can deliver real services to their people. It should be clear to everyone that the rapid growth of ISIS was fuelled by two governments’ failings: the first one made war on its own people, and the second one promoted sectarian division. When governments fail to address instability, legitimate grievances, and persistent serious challenges, they create an ideal environment for hateful ideologies to incubate - and for terrorist organisations to fill the vacuum of legitimacy.

The final component is to address urgently the black holes in human development that afflict many areas of the Middle East. This is not only an Arab responsibility, but also an international responsibility, because providing grassroots opportunity and a better quality of life for the people of this region is guaranteed to ameliorate our shared problems of instability and conflict. We have a critical need for long-term projects and initiatives to eliminate poverty, improve education and health, build infrastructure, and create economic opportunities. Sustainable development is the most sustainable answer to terrorism.

Our region is home to more than 200 million young people. We have the opportunity to inspire them with hope and to direct their energies toward improving their lives and the lives of those around them. If we fail, we will abandon them to emptiness, unemployment, and the malicious ideologies of terrorism.

Every day that we take a step toward delivering economic development, creating jobs, and raising standards of living, we undermine the ideologies of fear and hate that feed on hopelessness. We starve terrorist organisations of their reason to exist.

I am optimistic, because I know that the people of the Middle East possess a power of hope and a desire for stability and prosperity that are stronger and more enduring than opportunistic and destructive ideas. There is no power stronger than that of hope for a better life.

By Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The Gulf Today

20 June, 2015

A Note on the State of the UAE’s Economy by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

My brothers and sisters,
Greetings.

I wanted in this brief note to highlight the current status of the United Arab Emirates’ economy and to outline the course we are steering in the period to come. This note, which is released ahead of the annual statistical reports, aims to increase transparency and accessibility to those interested in our national economy and also serve as guidance as regards to the most important economic indicators and trends in the UAE.

Before reviewing the most important economic indicators and variables I wish to refer to several key points: Firstly, the UAE has anticipated many global economic scenarios, and built a range of economic policies in order to be better prepared and equipped to manage a range of variables: it has diversified its economy to reduce its dependence on oil, built more balanced management of global economic forces, and established a clear policy of openness and cooperation in order to align with the interests of other global players.

Secondly, 2014 was the strongest year economically for the UAE, and the country is set to continue to perform strongly in 2015. Today we have a robust and diversified economic base, great confidence in the environment and the stability of our country, expertise to deal with a range of scenarios, and great optimism about the future and the projects we have launched.

Thirdly, there is a regional need for a real economic and developmental movement; thus, serious steps must be taken to achieve economic integration in the Gulf so as to ensure the stability of the whole region. I am confident that the future of the Arab World is dependent upon realising a great developmental and economic revival, led by the Gulf States, and in cooperation with our brother nations.

Fourthly, the major challenges facing the region make it a necessity to implement a clear and executable Arab economic vision, launch significant economic projects, and utilise the human and natural resources of the Arab World more effectively. We must address the imbalances of the region in a comprehensive manner, covering economics, politics and security. We must understand that real and sustainable development is the only guarantee for future stability in the Arab world.

I move with you now to review the most important indicators of our state’s economy, where the data, which will be announced in few days by the National Bureau of Statistics, shows that 2014 was the strongest year economically for the UAE since its foundation, with a growth in Real Gross Domestic Product of 4.6%, and with Nominal Gross Domestic Product reaching AED 1.47 trillion.

We expect to continue to achieve strong growth in 2015 as work continues with a large number of infrastructure projects, such as the expansion of national airports with total cost of AED 100 billion and the construction of AED-40-billion Union Rail Network, in addition to roads and transport projects, improved tourist facilities, electronic infrastructure, real estate and financial services.

The non-oil sector has experienced positive growth during the first quarter of 2015. The continuing rise in government spending and investment and the increase in government and private capital, which amount to AED 353 billion in 2014, also indicate sustained and strong growth in 2015.

The UAE will also adhere to its long-term strategy to diversify its national economy, as the non-oil sector has achieved strong growth rates in GDP (at current prices) of 8.1% in 2014. The contribution of the non-oil sector to the national economy has reached 68.6% of the constant-price GDP.

We have put in place all the necessary plans to contribute to as much as 80% in 2021 through intensive investment in the industrial and tourism sectors, air and maritime transport, import and re-export, as well as supporting a range of knowledge-based economic projects and initiatives.

By developing new sectors as the Islamic Economy, and investing in innovation, content development and other activities, our aim is to diversify our economy in 2021 in order to strengthen the economic and financial stability of the UAE and fortify ourselves against the constant fluctuations and instabilities of world markets.
The UAE in 2014 also continued to capitalise on its strategic location and strong infrastructure in enhancing its import and export systems, as our exports ? inclusive of re-exports ? reached AED 376 billion, while our imports reached approximately AED 700 billion. The UAE continues to lead the Middle Eastern countries as the region’s largest trading partner with the world’s top 10 global economies.

The strategic plans I have launched since I assumed the position of Prime Minister in 2006 have achieved many of their goals and objectives, as national production has risen from AED 1.3 trillion in 2006 to AED 2.5 trillion in 2014.

The total manpower in the national labour market in 2014 reached 275,000 citizens, and we are aiming to take that number to 460,000 citizens by 2021.
Production reached some AED 450 billion in the manufacturing industries in 2014, up from AED 230 billion in 2006, and production in the construction sector reached AED 295 billion in 2014, as compared to AED 155 billion in 2006.

The UAE in 2014 continued to attract great talents, leading the world as a preferred destination for talents and skills according to reports, with total compensation paid to employees in 2014 of AED 410 billion in all sectors, including AED 82 billion in the government sector.

The UAE will continue to implement a long-term plan facilitating our transition to a knowledge-based economy ? an area where the UAE is currently leading the Arab World ? as we aim to triple national spending on research and development before 2021, increase the number of workers in that sector from the current 22% to 40% over the next six years, and take the UAE from being the top of Arab countries in the Global Innovation index to being within the top ten countries in the world in 2021 in that same index.

The decrease in the oil prices has had a positive impact on the growth of many economic sectors in the UAE in 2014, as current-price growth rates for the transport and storage sector amounted to 10%, up from 7.9% in the previous year; the wholesale and retail sector was at 8%, up from 6.8% in the previous year, and the construction sector 6.1%, a substantial rise from 3.4%. This shows clearly the UAE’s economy is distinguished by its resilience.

The financial sector has seen double-digit growth in 2014 of some 15%, with contributions to gross domestic product reaching AED 122 billion. Our banking sector also continued its positive growth and expansion as the total number of banks active in the country reached 57 banks in addition to the presence of 122 representative offices of foreign banks and total assets of about AED 2.38 trillion at the beginning of 2015.

In the tourism sector, the UAE has continued to launch a wide range of tourism projects and entertainment destinations with some 20 million tourists visiting the seven emirates according to statistics issued by the local tourist authorities. The sector continues to consolidate the country’s status as one of the world's most important travel destinations with the support of the transportation, aviation, marketing and exhibitions industries and bolstered by the UAE’s strong international relations and many international friendships.

I would like to end my note by emphasising that we are continuing to work to achieve better standards of living for our people, providing the best environment for our investors, and creating the best destination for our visitors. The UAE continues to approach the world with open arms, providing a safe, productive and stable environment, supportive of regional and global initiatives that aim to achieve good for the people and stability for the nations of the world.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai
20th of June, 2015