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In 1954, the British administrator and army officer Sir Rupert Hay observed: “(Dubai) flourishes on its entrepot trade, and its souks or markets on either side of its broad creek are the most picturesque I have ever seen in the Middle East and take one back to the time of the Arabian Nights. In the narrow lanes roofed with matting, where the gloom is flecked by spots of sunlight, Arabs, Persians and Balochis display their multifarious and many-colored wares. Wild-eyed tribesmen with their camel canes and daggers haggle with the shopkeepers and the wealthier Persian merchants, with their long, flowing robes and gold-brocaded headdresses, pass to and fro, intent upon their business. Graceful dhows glide into the creek, lower their sails and cast anchor while, the whole day long, small craft are busy ferrying shoppers from one bank to the other. The rectangular houses of the sheikhs and merchants with their tall wind-towers cast white reflections on the water. Conditions are no doubt primitive, but there is an air of bustle and prosperity about the place that gives it a peculiar charm.”
Hay’s words captured more than a vivid tableau of mid-century Dubai; they revealed the essence of a place animated by openness, enterprise and coexistence. Long before national strategies were drafted or policy frameworks formalized, the people of this region were already living the values that continue to define the UAE today — through trade, hospitality and the building of trust across cultures and borders.
In the flurry of strategic plans, key performance indicators and regulatory frameworks, it is easy to forget a simple truth: a policy is not just a document or a directive, it is a reflection of what we believe in. At its core, policy is a strategic act, anchored in values. It is a public declaration of what we prioritize, what we protect and the kind of future we are committed to shaping.
Too often, policy is treated as a technocratic tool — reactive, procedural and transactional. But meaningful, effective policy is fundamentally philosophical. It begins with questions of principle: What do we stand for? And how do we bring those convictions to life?
In the UAE, we are fortunate to have a clear and enduring foundation. Values such as openness, adaptability, trust, pragmatism and a spirit of partnership have not only shaped our society but have also served as strategic assets. They have enabled us to build a nation that is globally connected yet deeply rooted; fast-moving yet socially cohesive.
As we chart our path forward across sectors as diverse as the economy, education, sustainability and technology, we must begin not with trends but with principles. A policy disconnected from values may offer a quick solution but it cannot deliver long-term impact. It will lack coherence, resilience and the trust of those it aims to serve.
Consider foreign trade and diplomacy. The UAE’s approach has never been merely transactional. It has been guided by a deeper belief in dialogue, connectivity and mutual benefit. Our economic relationships are not built solely on competitive advantage but on long-term thinking, respect for diversity and a commitment to shared prosperity.
This values-first approach has paid off. Today, the UAE is among the world’s most globally connected economies, with a trade policy that opens doors rather than closes them. Our ability to engage with partners across regions, ideologies and economic systems has been one of our greatest strengths — because our policies are not just about interests. They are about intentions.
Our approach is not about short-term fixes, it is about reinforcing the social fabric that underpins our national resilience.
Maria Hanif Al-Qassim
In the same way, our strong familial and social values are reflected in policies that continuously promote greater cohesion, connectedness and a deep sense of shared responsibility. These are not abstract ideals — they are embedded in initiatives such as the National Family Policy, which strengthens intergenerational bonds and supports parental roles, and the development of integrated neighborhoods that bring housing, schools, healthcare and community spaces together to foster everyday solidarity.
Our approach to social policy is not about short-term fixes, it is about reinforcing the social fabric that underpins our national resilience. Whether through support for marriage and family formation, youth engagement strategies that nurture identity and purpose or care for the elderly that honors tradition and dignity, these policies reflect a society that sees cohesion not as a constraint but as a competitive strength.
When we begin with values, our policies gain durability. They become more than responses to the moment — they become frameworks that can adapt, evolve and guide us through uncertainty. And we are indeed entering an era marked by profound and accelerating change: geopolitical shifts, climate instability, technological disruption and social fragmentation.
In such a context, values must be our compass. They are what lend coherence across ministries and sectors, what ensure that innovation does not come at the expense of inclusion, and that speed does not compromise sustainability. Values remind us that the purpose of policy is not simply to manage change but to shape it — thoughtfully, boldly and with a deep sense of responsibility to future generations. In the end, policy is not only about systems and certainly not only about strategy. It is, ultimately, about character. It must reflect our national DNA.
And over the long arc of history, it is values, not tactics, that shape nations.
- Maria Hanif Al-Qassim is an Emirati from Dubai who writes on development, gender and social issues. X: @maria_hanif