The recent Houthi attack against the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi will boost nearby Qatar’s reputation as a safe destination for business in the Middle East, which will compel the United Arab Emirates to advance more social liberalization policies to remain competitive. Prior to the attack, neither the United Arab Emirates nor Qatar had experienced significant security threats in their territory since gaining independence in 1971. But the Jan. 17 airstrikes on Abu Dhabi, which killed three foreign workers, have since marred the United Arab Emirates’ image as one of the safest places to do business in the region. Both Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are currently on the U.S. government’s do-not-travel list due to health risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But following the Abu Dhabi attack, Washington has also added the threat of drone and missile attacks to its UAE travel advisory. In the coming weeks, other...
