(2006-09-27) Dyson On Dubai

Esther Dyson was in Dubai recently. They (expats) are the brains of the new economy, while the Emiratis are the owners and foreigners provide capital. Foreigners can invest, but in most cases they need a local partner with at least a 51-percent interest. Of course, over time things will change, and foreign ownership is permitted within the Free Economic Zones, but you can imagine the distortions these rules must engender... As for VoIP, it's banned in the Emirates (UAE), though it was available in Internet City. It is now banned even in Internet City, but the ban may be rescinded.