According to the news media, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal plans to build the world’s tallest building in Jeddah less than two years after the Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai.
An investment firm agreed to a US$1.2 billion deal to build the Kingdom Tower, which would exceed three thousand feet and be the world’s tallest building.
The reality is that, due to a lack of spending on education and research, the Muslim and Arab world is passing through worst stages of its history.
Poverty, hunger, political uncertainty and a lack of medical facilities have become part and parcel of the lives of their people. Several African countries are also passing through the worst drought in modern history.
Due to a lack of higher education and research facilities, thousand of young talented people are going to western countries in search of better futures and jobs. Modern countries are getting the benefit of their talents and abilities.
According to UNESCO’s latest figures, Islamic Asian countries spend less than 0.1 percent of their total income on research work, which is five times less than African countries, which are spending 0.5 percent of their total income.
No universities in Islamic countries are included in world top 500 universities. The realty is that the world’s tallest building in Dubai will not stop the downfall of the Dubai economy.
Instead of spending huge amounts of money on high-rise buildings and other luxuries, higher spending on education, universities and research centers can provide better opportunities to younger generations and can also bring economic revolution in Islamic countries.
Khawaja Umer Farooq
Jeddah
