For the past five years I have been visiting Abu Dhabi around this time of year to see my daughter and her family, and escape the cold monotony of the European winter.
I am not one of the many expatriates who seek out business or life opportunities in the UAE. I am not economically vested.
But I have formed impressions of the Emirates, views of a man in his later years who has worked all over the world as a civil servant, economist and consultant, and who is very impressed with the rate of progress in the emirate and the country.
Every time I land in Abu Dhabi I encounter new terminal upgrades. My family takes me to their home via new routes (the Khalifa Bridge, the Sheikh Zayed Tunnel), past new attractions and developments (Yas Water World, the St Regis Hotel, the Yas Marina Circuit). I sometimes think that those who live here can become immune to the developmental cycle around them. But to a casual visitor like me, what has been achieved in just over 40 years since federation is nothing short of spectacular. If globalisation remains largely an abstract concept for the man in the street in Europe, one can almost feel the physical reality of it here.
After my second or third visit it became apparent that the country should - and hopefully will - serve as a model for resource-rich African countries seeking to order their domestic affairs after independence.
I began my career as a Belgian civil servant, working in the Congo. In 1955, I joined the Directorate of Economic Affairs of the Central Government in Kinshasa (then called Leopoldville). It was an exciting time for a young man to be working in a country the size of western Europe, or 80 times the size of my native Belgium, endowed with vast natural resources and enjoying a vibrant economy with an average growth rate of about 8 per cent over the previous 30 years.
Soon after independence in 1960, the Congo was engulfed by growing insecurity, corruption, hyperinflation, the excesses of dictatorship and vast population movements as well as violence that claimed millions of lives. The conflict between communism and the West also found a focus in the newly established country, adding to the mess. As a result, despite its vast natural resources, the per capita income of the Congolese today is only a fraction of what it used to be more than half a century ago.
My subsequent employment as an economist for one of the largest multinational mining corporations exposed me further to social and economic trends in various sub-Saharan African countries.
In some cases the leadership of these countries failed to seize the opportunities offered by independence and the chance to harness their natural resources for their nation. Instead, they opted for corrupt solutions to the exclusive benefit of political or other affiliated supporters and blamed - with some justification occasionally - past colonial sins for present day dysfunction.
The so-called colonial legacy in terms of infrastructure in the Congo was substantial, consisting of roads, railways, airports, maritime and river transport facilities, hospitals and schools. In the field of education, for instance, in the mid 1950s Lovanium University in Kinshasa set up the first small nuclear reactor in Africa to help teach nuclear physics to students.
In contrast, the remarkable infrastructure we see in place in the UAE is largely the country's own, conceived and executed for the most part after the formation of the UAE.
The country lost no time in shaping its own destiny, with an eye towards diversification of the economy away from oil and towards sectors that would provide jobs and careers for Emiratis, as well as for thousands of expatriate workers. Even though the UAE remains firmly attached to its culture and its Bedouin heritage, it has a firm eye fixed on the future.
Many of those who live permanently in the UAE do not, I believe, recognise the pace of change around them as they have become so used to new buildings springing up, new roads being built and the constant swinging of cranes and pouring of concrete.
As someone who lives in Europe, a region suffering from demographic decline, an ageing population and economic uncertainty, I find it refreshing to visit a country with such a firm grip on its economic destiny.
Luc Smets has worked as an economist and consultant for various companies related to mining, including Charter Consolidated in London and De Beers, for over 20 years
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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
8.15pm Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
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6.30pm Majestic Thunder
7.05pm Commanding
7.40pm Mark Of Approval
8.15pm Mulfit
8.50pm Gronkowski
9.25pm Walking Thunder
10pm Midnight Sands
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
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Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.