His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with pupils in Dubai. Among his many endeavours, Shaikh Mohammad takes keen interest in the development of the education sector in the country.
A visionary leader, poet and a philanthropist, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has been leading the country into a steadfast future.Today marks six years of his accession as Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Mohammad, who also became Vice-President and Prime Minister, has initiated new chapters full of accomplishments that will be written down in the history of the nation.
The year that passed was a memorable one for the UAE as the network of infrastructure expanded with the opening of the Metro's Green Line, and the economy boomed as construction picked up pace. Shaikh Mohammad also unveiled the certificate presented by the Guinness World Records for its entry as the longest automated driverless Metro in the world with a total length of 75km.
The UAE has become an example of a rapid and successful development story in the region, not only in terms of infrastructure and economy of the country but also the progress of its people. In response to citizens' needs, new resolutions were made, most notably regarding the citizenship applications of children born to Emirati women married to foreigners.
In a bid to spread the message of peace and encourage communication among different religions, Shaikh Mohammad issued a decree launching the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum World Peace Award. The award was set up to recognise outstanding contributions to world peace issues, which is a way to activate civilised interaction among people and preserve peace and stability in the world. The award also aims at bringing forth the true image of Islam, which is a religion of forgiveness and peace.
The prize will be awarded once very two years. The decree also specifies the emirate of Dubai as the permanent headquarters of the award, and that branches can be opened inside and outside the emirate. The award will be managed in accordance with the by-laws and statute of this decree.
In line with keeping government services on a par, the Emirates Programme for Excellent Government Services will classify all government services on a one-to-seven star ratings system over the next five years on the basis of a certain set of criteria.
As Shaikh Mohammad recently said on CNN's Erin Burnett's programme, "We want to be number one."
Under his leadership, the UAE completed another important step in the framework of its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency by signing the Country Profile Framework (CPF).
The CPF constitutes the frame of reference for the short- and medium-term planning of technical cooperation between the UAE and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the period 2012-2016. Representing the UAE, Shaikh Mohammad led the country's delegation to the 32nd GCC Summit in Riyadh.
The Riyadh Declaration, the final communiqué of the summit, stressed the importance of achieving integration and cohesion among GCC member states in order to attain unity as stated in the GCC statute.
It also highlighted the significance of consolidating national unity based on equality between all citizens before the rule of law, stressing that strong and unified nations remain vigilant and stand strong in the face of attempts to incite sectarian strife and promote hatred. "This will of course become possible with the assistance and agreement of all GCC leaders, who are keen to enhance all forms of coordination and integration between our countries...," Shaikh Mohammad said.
Proper housing is one of the main concerns of citizens who are unable to obtain loans — an issue that has been resolved with the issuing of a decree to regulate Mohammad Bin Rashid Housing Establishment loans.
The decree frees borrowers, who fully repay their loans prior to maturity date, from certain charges calculated as a percentage of the remaining loan balance. Shaikh Mohammad took steps to ease the burden on citizens living in rural areas when he laid the foundation stone for the Khalifa Residential Complex for Emiratis in Dibba Al Fujairah.
Housing imperative
It will be constructed in Al Nahda district on 360,000 square metres of land, and include 400 residential units to be completed in 15 months at a cost of Dh360 million. Shaikh Mohammad expressed his satisfaction at the implementation of the project, noting that it was a genuine translation of the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the project's launch took place during the UAE's 40th National Day celebrations.
Despite his crowded schedule, Shaikh Mohammad finds time to pen his poems that reflect his love for the nation and the leadership...
By Mariam M. Al Serkal,
gulfnews
