Sheikh Mohammud is having a two-day conference on forming a national identity for the UAE. The problem is that that Dubai and the other Emirates have little history or identity outside of the one he created.
What is now the UAE was a sandy little crossroads known for its pearl trade. There was little else there to recommend it as a permanent settlement. If it wasn't for British protection, they probably would have been swallowed up by King Saud when he joined all the tribes to form Saudi Arabia.
Today they are known as an elegant, if artificial, oasis for tourism and business, builder of world wonders and architectural marvels. Unfortunately, they are also known as enslavers of children in the camel racing business and owners of Dubai Ports, the port operation deal soundly rejected by the people of the US. They also have an image as lazy, preferring to hire outside labor than get dirty themselves. 99 percent of private sector jobs are held by ex-pats. In a country that is hungry for labor, the unemployment rate among Emiratis is 13 per cent.
And they are invisible. A visitor to the Emitrates could spend his entire trip there and the only Emirati he may see in a working capacity is the passport control officer. (I'm not counting the ones at the shopping malls, of course)
Sheikh Mo has his work cut out for him. If he wants to develop a national identity, he will first have to change the welfare state he has created.
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