A Sheik Who Models America's 'Can Do' Attitude

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Crown Prince of Ras al Khaimah -- Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi

RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates—When Sheik Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi was studying political science and economics at the University of Michigan years ago, he was impressed by what he calls the "can do" mentality of Americans. As the crown prince of the UAE's northernmost emirate, he has tried to instill some of those values here. "If we never adapt to tomorrow, we can't belong to tomorrow—and better yet if we can actually design our tomorrow," says Sheik Saud. "Change will happen, and we don't want to become a fossil."

Until Sheikh Saud became its effective ruler in 2003, Ras al Khaimah remained a sleepy backwater, with little oil of its own and none of the flashiness of a Dubai. Today, however, Sheikh Saud is racing to catch up, spearheading a plan to put his emirate squarely on the tourist map. "You can see the skyscrapers going up, but you still have to slow your car down so the goats can cross the road," says Zaid Ansari, who runs a three-year-old branch campus of Virginia's George Mason University in Ras al Khaimah. "They're trying to preserve the traditions of the past while embracing modernity at the same time."

Sheik Saud is very much in charge of the plan, which aims to harness Ras al Khaimah's natural advantages, particularly its plentiful sun, relatively unspoiled beaches, and dramatic mountains to attract European tourists, along with expatriates working in Dubai. "I call it the Monte Carlo of the UAE—a weekend getaway," says Frank Khoie, a Iranian-born developer who is building a series of condos and hotels on the man-made Marjan Island, which is designed in the shape of coral. Khoie has already sold most of the units in his first seven apartment buildings, due by the end of 2009.

Along with resorts, Ras al Khaimah is building new attractions like golf courses and theme parks, including the Middle East's first open-air ski resort, nestled in the nearby mountains. The resort would be a seasonal one. Officials insist that the temperatures are cold enough to allow open-air skiing with man-made snow in the winter months. The rest of the year, the area offers a welcome break from the desert heat.

Sheik Saud has even explored the idea of hosting a launch pad for commercial space flights, although the idea appears to be on hold. "Look, we're open to any venture," he says. "Our politics is business." Offering a lower cost of living than Dubai, as well as a friendly business climate, he is also hoping to attract western businesses and manufacturers.

And indeed, many westerners are intrigued by the potential of Ras al Khaimah. "I see this as an opportunity to really make a footprint in a part of the world where there can really be a civil society and they can still hold on to traditional values," says Ansari. More than a third of his students at GMU's local program are Emirati, while many others come from families of expatriate workers. Later this year, GMU is to break ground on a new campus in Ras al Khaimah. "We're still trying to define who our market is, but part of it is people who want an authentic American degree but don't want to be 3,000 miles away," he says.

Realistically, Ras al Khaimah has a long way to go before it can become a true tourist or business draw. It has only two international-level hotels, although an additional two dozen hotels are in the works. It suffers from severe shortages of electricity and water, and some critics worry the focus on tourists is misplaced. "They are concentrating on the real estate sector, neglecting development of human resources, like education, health, housing, water, and electricity," says Mohammed Mansour, an associate professor at UAE University and a resident of Ras al Khaimah.

Still, Sheik Saud is convinced that his plans are a natural extension of Ras al Khaimah's heritage. "Two hundred years back, our people here had about 20,000 sailors and 2,000 ships," says Sheik Saud. "If you go to the ruins here, it tells you the success of this place did not depend on natural resources but on ingenuity, work discipline, and their ability to become a bridge between countries—between Africa and the gulf, here and India—and that's how they prospered."