Very recommendable! An interesting country comparison that may well apply to other European countries as well (e.g. France, Germany)!
Arab merchants, businessmen/-women and traders make it possible!
A very well timed article to greet and inspire the new PM Andy Burnham!
"When British policymakers look to the Gulf, they often assume Dubai’s rise was built on limitless oil wealth. That misses the more interesting lesson. Dubai’s free-trade instincts go back to 1901, when its rulers scrapped import and export taxes to attract merchants from more restrictive neighbouring ports.
Today, oil accounts for less than 1 per cent of Dubai’s GDP. The emirate has prospered by becoming what might be called a ‘platform city’: a stable, business-friendly hub that provides the infrastructure, light-touch rules, and predictability private enterprise needs to grow. ...
Dubai treats residents and businesses less as subjects to be managed and more as customers to be served. Government performance is regularly judged by the quality and speed of delivery. There is a local saying that the government “works at the speed of business”, and that mindset matters.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, this agility helped Dubai reopen safely and quickly, attracting global talent from countries with more rigid restrictions. For the UK, a similar customer-service culture in Whitehall would be a serious shift: a state that sees its role as enabling enterprise, rather than slowing it down through bureaucracy.
Free markets depend on trust. Dubai has turned social order into a real competitive advantage. Its low crime rates and strong culture of civic responsibility create a sense of security that is hard to measure but easy to value. Residents routinely leave valuables unattended with little fear of theft. [This used to common in the UK decades ago, if I am not mistaken.]
For a global financial centre, this matters. Trust reduces friction, lowers costs, and makes a city more attractive to investors, entrepreneurs and families looking for stability. ...
One of Dubai’s most effective tools has been its network of free zones, which historically offered 100 per cent foreign ownership and zero taxes. Just as importantly, these zones have acted as testing grounds for more liberal rules before they are applied more widely.
The Dubai International Financial Centre is the clearest example. It operates under its own English common law framework, with independent courts and a regulatory system designed for international finance.
Dubai actively competes for skilled people. Its Golden Visas, remote working schemes and Green Visas give professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors clear routes to live and work there without being tied to traditional employer sponsorship. ..."
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