The desert part can be a positive. I lived in Jordan when I was a kid and the coast (Aqaba) weather was worse than the desert: at Aqaba the humidity made the heat much harder to support, while in the north (Amman) it was dry and more pleasant and my skin and t-shirt were always dry.

Also in the desert solar energy is plenty and cheap, with many sunny days. That energy powers the AC that is needed in that region no matter what.