Dubai: It is 2am. You’ve just finished your late shift. It’s a short walk home. You enjoy the stillness of the night and the quiet until you reach your apartment. There was never a moment of doubt or fear, a woman walking alone, through the dark.
This is Dubai. This is the UAE.
Even today, with the ongoing aggression from Iran, most people wouldn’t trade their lives in the UAE for any other place, and safety is one of the primary reasons why.
The country has a long, celebrated history of stability, and has been consistently ranked among the world’s safest countries. The latest Numbeo Safety Index 2026 placed the UAE as the safest country in the world, with a score of 86. It is the world's largest crowd-sourced database that rates countries globally, based on user-perceived safety, crime levels, and health risks. In comparison, Japan was ranked in ninth place with a score of 77.4, and the UK and US were positioned much lower, with scores of 51.7 and 50.8 respectively.
This isn’t just a one-off statistic, however. Every year, the UAE can be spotted at the top of global rankings.
In 2025, Numbeo’s Safety Index announced Abu Dhabi as the world’s safest city for the ninth consecutive year. In the same year, the UAE scored highest in the Perception of Security Index, with 94.8 points out of 100, indicating that travellers felt safe and confident in the country. The Index was published in the Connecting Travel Insights Report, an annual, research-driven publication based in the UK.
In 2024, the US-based Fund for Peace, a non-profit research organisation, published its Fragile States Index (where lower ranks reflect greater stability). In it, the UAE ranked 156th out of 179 countries, placing it among the more stable nations globally.
The list goes on.
UAE safety is not a bubble, it’s a blueprint
However, it’s natural to question – with the current regional upheaval, how have things changed?
For Dr Salma Thani, assistant professor of Gulf studies at the American University of Sharjah, all those years of consistency and preparation are paying off for the UAE.
She said: “The current conflict … this is where the difference between stability and resilience becomes clear. Stability is how a country appears in normal times. Resilience is how it performs under real pressure. The UAE is being tested in real time, and it is showing that its stability is not superficial.”
The reason for its resilience, is in the way the country has comprehended the concept of security. Historically, Dr Thani explained, security for the UAE has never been only about defence. It has also been about preserving trade, social order, livelihoods, and stability in a region that has always faced uncertainty.
She said: “Even before the union, the communities of the Trucial Coast lived through major disruptions. The collapse of the pearl economy in the 1920s and 1930s, driven by the global depression and the rise of cultured pearls, was devastating for local society. There were also environmental hardships, storms, fires, and difficult economic periods that affected daily life and survival. So, historically, this region learned very early that a crisis is neither an exception nor the end of the story. It is part of life, and survival depends on adaptation, patience, and collective endurance.”
The UAE endured, and it used its experience to create a solid foundation for an organised, institutional model of security that works efficiently in the modern age.
Dr Thani said: “The state linked security to development, infrastructure, public order, and long-term planning. That is why the UAE’s approach today feels different. It is not just about reacting to danger. It is about preparing for shocks, containing them, and ensuring that society continues to function with confidence.”
She shared the example of COVID-19. In this period of uncertainty, the UAE moved competently to protect citizens and residents, secure supply chains and maintain a sense of order – even as other countries around the world were panicking. Today, the country uses the same model of calm and preparedness to reassure the public and prevent alarm.
Dr Thani added: “To me, that is the real pattern: the UAE does not approach security as a temporary emergency file, but as part of the wider project of state stability and national resilience.”
A place to put down roots
The projection of composure and quiet efficiency at the governmental level has an enormous impact on public confidence.
Shoaib Siddiqui, an Indian national and a project manager based in Dubai, continues to live and work in the country, and has complete faith in the authorities. He said: “I feel safe living in the UAE right now. Despite everything happening globally, daily life continues smoothly here, especially in the construction industry, where work is still progressing steadily. That sense of normalcy, combined with the visible presence of safety measures and preparedness, gives me confidence and peace of mind.”
He pointed out that even during regional turmoil, living in Dubai is still safer than living in most major cities around the world. He explained: “The strict law enforcement, and strong governance make a big difference. It’s a place where you can go about your daily life without constant worry, which is not something you can say about many parts of the world.”
Another major reason why residents feel so reassured, is because of the prompt and effective way the authorities communicate with the public, according to Siddiqui. He said: “Updates are timely, transparent, and easy to understand. This helps prevent panic and ensures that everyone knows what to do, which builds trust and a sense of collective responsibility.”
The same coordination can be seen at various levels of governance, thanks to the UAE’s wide ecosystem of preparedness.
Dr Thani explained: “At the federal level, emergency and crisis coordination bodies play a central role in planning, coordination, and public readiness. The National Early Warning System [by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA)] is designed to communicate risks quickly to the public and reduce uncertainty. At the emirate level, Dubai has moved further by establishing the Dubai Resilience Centre and approving the Dubai Resilience Strategy, which explicitly focuses on protecting communities, infrastructure, essential needs, and governance capacity.”
H. H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, even announced a Dh1 billion stimulus package to help businesses and families manage the economic impact of the regional crisis.
Additional to this, is the country’s focus on managing information responsibly. Dr Thani said: “Rumours, fabricated videos, and misinformation can spread fear very quickly, especially through digital and social media. In that sense, institutions such as the National Media Authority matter, because they help maintain a coordinated, credible, and truth-focused public narrative at a time when misinformation can travel faster than facts.”
The aim, at the end of the day, is to prevent uncertainty from turning into panic. The UAE achieves this goal smoothly, thanks in large part to the cooperation from residents.
“What’s reassuring is how the community here has come together: people are supporting government efforts, staying informed, and continuing with their routines.”
Routines like morning walks along Jumeirah Beach – something Dubai resident Syed Mahmood Hussain and his wife continue to do, every day. The retired Indian national has lived in the UAE for more than 45 years, and has witnessed the country pulling through gracefully, no matter the challenge.
He said: “I am very confident that the authorities are taking good care of all the residents, both citizens and expats alike. My experience during COVID-19 especially, and how well the authorities handled the situation, makes me feel confident that the UAE will prevail once again.”
Hussain plans to continue to stay in the country, adhere to the advice of the authorities, and go along with his peaceful life – a state of mind that UAE residents know the country does not take for granted, and will continue to defend and uphold, no matter the crises.
Lessons from UAE’s resilience
Staying resilient in a moment of crisis doesn’t happen naturally – it’s an attitude built, trained and honed from years of experience. So, how does the UAE preserve its confidence while under pressure?
Dr Thani shares lessons other countries can learn from UAE’s outstanding governance amidst regional tensions:
Resilience has to be built before a crisis, not during it
She said: “The UAE model shows that resilience comes from preparation, coordination, infrastructure, and clear chains of responsibility.”
Security cannot be separated from the economy
According to Dr Thani, a resilient state is one that protects people, but also keeps logistics, markets, and essential services functioning and trade moving.
Communication matters as much as capability
Dr Thani explained: “People cooperate when they trust institutions and believe that the situation is being handled rationally. That is why resilience today must include not only defence and emergency response, but also public communication, social trust, and the management of misinformation.” As is being done by the UAE.