The UAE is making its mark as a space and soft power

Advanced. Progressive. Sustainable. The UAE’s rise on the world stage from an oil economy into an industrial, scientific, and knowledge powerhouse is a story of smart governance and diplomacy. Its global influence has grown over the years on the back of adroit diplomacy and economic heft - potent tools for peace and prosperity in a region ravaged by endless wars and conflicts.

Through space and a thriving knowledge economy, the UAE is telling the world that now is the time to look beyond conflicts and confrontation. Cooperation is key. On the domestic front, the country has shifted gears and has diversified beyond oil while seeking new opportunities as it fronts what is being called the ‘new Arab renaissance’. While there is much to celebrate in Sultan AlNeyadi’s mission to the International Space Station (ISS), there is an even bigger reason to tout the country’s rise on the soft power charts.

It now stands at number 10 and is expected to rise as AlNeyadi soars to the ISS in the Crew Dragon spacecraft at 20 times the speed of sound. The capsule will dock with the space station on Friday. These twin achievements of sending the first Arab into space for a long mission of six months and breaking into the top 10 soft-power ranks place the UAE in another orbit.

Here, it’s important to put into perspective what the young country has achieved in such a short span of time. A little over a decade was all it took to diversify the economy and expand its soft power. Once known as an oil powerhouse, which it still is, the UAE embarked on an ambitious mission to broaden the scope of its economic activity while empowering its people.

While others fought bitter wars, the UAE built real and digital infrastructure, attracted global investments, strengthened institutions, sought and found new allies and made tolerance its motto. It also brought faiths together while expanding trade, strategic, and economic ties with countries across the world.

This transformation into an expat haven and embrace of varied cultures made it special even as its smart business and administrative model gained wide acceptance across the world. The landmark Abrahamic Accords were signed during the pandemic in the middle of a global lockdown. Before the pandemic, the country built well. After the crisis, it is building back better and faster.