Will Cash-Rich Abu Dhabi Bail Out Profligate Dubai?

Weak UAE statement stokes fears of tension between emirates
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 30, 2009 8:54 AM CST
Will Cash-Rich Abu Dhabi Bail Out Profligate Dubai?
Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum speaks at an investment conference in Dubai, Nov. 9, 2009. On Monday, Maktoum strongly emphasized the emirate's close ties to Abu Dhabi.   (AP Photo/Dubai Ruler's Media Office)

The United Arab Emirates’ vaguely-worded statement of support yesterday for Dubai—which didn’t actually mention the city-state by name—isn’t reassuring investors, who fear rocky relations between emirates, the cash-strapped Dubai and oil-rich Abu Dhabi. The latter could easily wipe out Dubai World’s delinquent $59 billion debt, but the predominant speculation is that it’ll want major concessions in any bailout, the New York Times reports.

The cities are nearly polar opposites—Dubai the brash, secular upstart, Dhabi the established, religious older brother. When reporters asked Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler, about tensions last week, he told them, in English, to “shut up.” Yesterday, the UAE central bank in Abu Dhabi issued a statement that it would make money available for local banks, but pointedly didn’t name Dubai World. Investors also fear that secretive Dubai's total debt could be as high as $120 billion.
(More Dubai stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X