World Bank-IMF meetings a feather in Dubai's cap

Now that the final countdown has begun, citizens, tourists and expatriates are all expressing confidence in the UAE's ability to host a truly world-class event that will reverberate around the world.

Johann Premfors, a Swede, works in IT and has lived in Dubai for ten years. "I am very impressed that Dubai is hosting an event of this magnitude. This is definitely going to raise the credibility of Dubai as well as the UAE as a whole. It is important that the rest of the world understands that this region is not all about conflict, but one of great opportunity and wonderful avenues for direct and indirect investment."

UAE citizen and resident of Dubai, Amna Ahmed is full of pride at her country's achievements. Employed in the Guest Relations Division of the Emirates Towers Hotel, she is thrilled at her country winning the race to host this event. "The implications of this are definitely not limited to business or finance. The benefit of such high-profile international exposure will seep down to all of us and our own lives will reflect the benefits.

"The UAE has determinedly and extremely patiently geared itself up for the event, and is now ready to host VVIP's, delegates, business people and tourists. I understand that through my job, my role is to be the face of the country, and we all will aim to combine the best of professionalism with traditional Arabic hospitality. I believe that all sectors will benefit from international finance and business commitments, as well as attract repeat visits and trade investments from delegates."

Robert Kidd is an architect who helped design Dubai's skyline-defining Emirates Towers. A Briton, he has been in Dubai for seven years now and he remembers hearing about the event while traveling. "Hosting an event like this is an extremely positive move, and an especially timely one for the entire Arab world. Aside from the Dubai World Cup and the Desert Classic Golf championships, this is definitely the biggest image-building exercise undertaken here. For the people of the other parts of the world, this meeting will present a true image of the Arab world, and slowly but surely, opinions about this place will definitely change.

"It is understandable that parking and traveling the around the areas of the DICC may be slightly difficult. Although we are used to being granted free access to so many places, it is only natural to expect increased security for these events, and it is all our duties to understand that and cooperate with the personnel."

Hisham Amiri, a UAE national, works as a part of the E-Government initiative of the Government of Dubai. Hisham represents the youth of the country, who have all made conscious efforts to gain a foothold in tomorrow's world, and have a say in national development. An IT specialist, Amiri maintains that Dubai is at a landmark point in history, poised for greatness. "For such a young country to host this event in the most luxurious manner means that the UAE will now be open to international business in a more focused and serious way. As a national, not only am I proud, I also appreciate the opportunities that such a move towards globalization will present to me and my generation. That the UAE and Dubai have reached maturity levels enough to handle meetings of this caliber is absolutely astounding, and I, for one, will be eagerly following all the developments, and not worrying about the minor setbacks."

A Scottish tourist in Dubai, Lesley Johnston, said, "I'm not sure how this will affect me for the time that I'm here. From what I understand, this is a great opportunity for this place to completely transform itself in the eyes of the world. This is my fourth time touring here, and many back home still cannot understand why I go back. Although Dubai would not be the best option to define the Middle East, it surely is a great place to get the first taste of Arab culture and hospitality. Just as this country impressed me on my first visit here, I am sure all visitors during the meetings will be astounded by what they see here and that there is going to be a sea of change in the general perception of the Arab world."

Hussain Seidat, an Iranian, has lived in Dubai for the past 25 years. He is General Manager of a trading company and firmly believes that Dubai could not have wished for a better platform over which to build its reputation internationally.

"Even though it is a short stay for most of the VVIPs and other heads, I am sure that every opportunity to introduce the city and country to the delegates and officials will be exploited to the fullest."

"The initiatives taken and the charted out plans will ensure the smooth running of daily life, even with so many top persons in town for the meetings. Hosting this meeting is a strategic move to attract Foreign Direct Investment, enabling human and economic development in all Arab countries", he added.

Samar Yagnam meanwhile is on his third visit to the UAE from Greece. "An opportunity to host something like the Annual Meetings is a great achievement for any place. Considering the fact that Doha, Qatar, hosted the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting recently, it would seem natural to me that the UAE should host the larger and more prestigious meetings of the World Bank and IMF. This country is positioning itself superbly and attracting investment, facilitating growth in leaps and bounds. This World Bank-IMF event is now building bridges between the Northern and Southern countries."

The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund were first held in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city one year in three. The UAE and Dubai were selected because of their highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, growing importance as a financial hub and its established position as an oasis of opportunity.