In spite of everything, the Arab world is adapting to the current crisis. There is developing, out of the gloom, a positive attitude. There have been no more dramatic crashes and we are factoring this reality into our ‘books.’ In short we are less traumatized. It is as the French say, la vie c’est l’habitude. Still, looking at the numbers, the crisis is very much a reality and will not be going away any time soon. So despite this new-found stoicism, measures to spur growth are still needed. This is where the UAE’s policy of insisting that foreign talent leave the country within one month of leaving a job — enforced or voluntary — is, at least in the current zeitgeist, somewhat short-sighted. A nation in the grip of an economic crisis needs consumers. This is real economics and a scheme should be developed whereby these people — many of
