During World War II, the then US Secretary of Defense George Marshall was quoted as saying, “When you hear the roar of cannons, you must start planning for reconstruction and revitalizing the economy. Start selling when you hear the music of peace.” With the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid launched the Media City project, along with other developments. Several projects had already been undertaken by the Emirate. Some of his close economic advisors objected, but he told them, “On the contrary, construction is beginning now and we must seize this opportunity.” In the following years, with the launching of the Dubai Metro in 2009, the economy of the Emirate boomed.
Within a few years, the Emirate recovered the cost of this strategic project and began planning the expansion of such a vital facility. Dubai also started the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport to increase its capacity to 260 million passengers annually. The revenues of these projects enabled Dubai to pay its debts and retain more. Today, the UAE economy is capable of quickly overcoming crises. Despite the recent war, it is currently considered the fastest growing economy. Dubai achieved a qualitative leap in recent months, thanks to its bold development plans and its move away from oil as the sole source of income.
Today, 77 percent of the GDP of Dubai is derived from non-oil sources. In the same vein, Saudi Arabia has been undergoing major modernization process for many years now through its extensive ‘Vision 2030’ planning program. In all sectors, Saudi Arabia enacted investment-friendly laws, including granting foreigners the right to own property. Free zones were established where foreigners can work freely, with government support. Saudi Arabia invested in attracting foreign talent and capital by granting them citizenship and permanent residency. The Sultanate of Oman is currently toeing a similar path, granting citizenship to anyone who owns a residential unit or land, as well as providing investment incentives throughout the Sultanate without restrictions. Qatar ratified a law allowing non-citizens to own real estate and establish businesses with up to 100 percent ownership. It earned astonishing non-oil revenues last year. Bahrain made a law granting foreigners the right to own real estate, which boosted economic dynamism, the effectiveness of which was evident in the recent crisis. Despite the war, Bahrain achieved a growth of 4.6 percent in the first quarter of 2026
All these projects in the five Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries relied on cooperation between the public and private sectors, and solidified economic stability, which in turn strengthened social stability. These countries are building for the future, taking advantage of their capabilities and experiences. They are keen on utilizing infrastructure to create the conditions for continuous development. Kuwait has the potential to compete with neighboring countries through the implementation of major projects, with the participation of the private sector. The state benefits from collecting fees from private sector companies, in addition to the diversification of its national income sources. If other countries import labor, then we have many illegal residents (Bedouns) in Kuwait, those whose citizenship was revoked, who need training in professions needed by the country, in addition to the existing expatriate workforce. All of these individuals can contribute to building a modern state if progressive laws are enacted to fully benefit from them. It is crucial to ease restrictions on both citizen and foreign investors, and grant them the freedom to exercise the usufruct right, which helped stimulate the economy in the past. Kuwait was once a model for other countries in terms of growth, modernization and dynamism. Finally, will we receive any response to our questions?
