On the occasion of the 41st National Day of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum pledged to move forward, taking the UAE to the ranks of developed countries and further beyond.
In his statement, published by Diraa Al Watan (National Shield) magazine, Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that the 'Spirit of the Union' led the glorious unified nation of the UAE to become an shining icon of development in many areas and a beacon of enlightenment for those pondering the path to achieving success.
The following is an edited translation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's statement:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful...
My fellow citizens...
It gives me great honour to salute you on the 41st National Day of our beloved homeland, and we praise Allah as He ought to be praised and glorified for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us, and we ask Him to guide us to the straight path and help us perform our duties in the best way possible.
As our union marches on towards the bright future our forefathers have long worked hard to achieve, we stand firm in adhering to their foresighted vision and pledge to work even harder to realise the goals set forth by UAE Vision 2021, taking the UAE to the ranks of developed countries and further beyond.
We draw inspiration from the 'Spirit of the Union' that dwells deep within our hearts and catalysing our resilience to carry on with our march... We look back at glorious efforts by patriotic men who left no stone unturned to build the United Arab Emirates and instil in the hearts of Emiratis the fortitude and wisdom to continue the march.
The most important of all lessons we have learnt from these great men - may Allah have mercy upon their souls - is a sound understanding and implementation of leadership. Ruling - far from being an authority to govern - is an enormous responsibility to exert every effort to safeguard the national interests of our beloved homeland and ensure citizens' well-being are met as per the highest standards. This is a belief that shapes our methodology.
We have learnt from the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his brother the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum that a successful leader - armed with ambition and optimism - leads the challenge and overcomes hardships and hurdles with determination, persistence and good intentions.
Many have doubted what Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum could accomplish back in the 1960s as efforts to establish a union between the emirates suffered from extreme difficulties, hurdles and plots to thwart such ambitions. But, with aid from Allah, the union was established and became a beacon of hope that led to what our country has achieved nowadays.
Our achievements speak for themselves. We have witnessed the rise and fall of many attempts in the region to forge similar unions under different banners... Our glorious union stood strong and gained unprecedented momentum drawing from our deep belief and true Islamic and Arab heritage a formula for outstanding success.
The UAE model was born out of genuine necessity and longing for progress... and this is what exactly what we have achieved. Our model laid the rules and mechanisms to create a balance between our reality and the requirements of progress... rules that have become consistent with our country’s successful progress in modernisation, security, stability, and well-being to name a few.
My fellow citizens...
Every year, on the December 2nd, our expertise and our ambitions for a better future grow in light of the foundations set forth by our glorious union that define our vision and aspiration to march ahead... Every year, our belief in the UAE model grows stronger as we cultivate further development for our people and our beloved nation.
The success of the UAE model proves the validity and consistency of the methodology we implement as we strive to pair our progressive accomplishments with preserving our national identity, culture and heritage. We work hard to adopt globally acknowledged best practices in every field to serve our citizens.
We will continue to safeguard the symbols of communication between this deep-rooted past and the vibrant present as well as the promising future, which we, as leaders, are working to draw and build for the benefit of the present and coming generations. We do this through the construction of the scientific, educational and health facilities, as well as everything that will ensure opportunities of education and welfare for our citizens, especially the younger generation. It is on their active participation we rely in the process of development and modernisation.
As we celebrate this dear occasion, the government of the UAE aims to achieve further progress in the fields of education and healthcare so that citizens our beloved country can have world-class university education and health care. The government will also boost the federal housing programme and enhance coordination with local programmes to shorten the time gap between applying for government housing and obtaining it.
All praise is to Allah for the empowerment march of UAE women... Today, proud Emirati women actively participate in the development of our beloved country through presence in vital government roles as in the Federal National Council, ministerial positions and education to name a few.
My fellow citizens...
All the success we have accomplished is but an introductory path to attaining the goals of UAE Vision 2021. For our 50th National Day to be a unique landmark in the history of our beloved homeland, we have many tasks to accomplish in the coming nine years that require unrelenting efforts and participation.
Our top priority will be enhancing investment in our human resources through actively developing programmes for training and grooming our younger generation to carry on with resounding success. We need to reformulate the job market on new basis that places the Emirati element as top priority. Our aim is to eliminate any obstacles that stand in people's way of securing jobs in the private sector; part of a wider scale of placing Emiratisation as top priority in employment policies and human resources development. We have full confidence in our younger generation who continue to exhibit outstanding skills aided by knowledge and self confidence.
We also have to achieve further progress in our quest realise a powerful knowledge-based economy. Many sectors in our economy have accelerated their efforts to attaining this goal, but we need to boost this trend to be able to create the highest quality products, guarantee our leading edge in global competitiveness across all sectors. Our government will take all necessary steps to guarantee the implementation of procedures and guidelines in this regard.
My fellow Emiratis... Brothers and sisters...
My confidence in you is boundless... You have shown aptitude, proficiency and know-how to lead us into a prosperous future... You continue to prove that the 'Spirit of the Union' lives deep within you... You have shown an outstanding sense of patriotism knowing that your leadership is part of you... You have proudly exhibited, generation after generation, your loyalty to a beloved homeland that dwells deep within your hearts... This is why I am proud to extend my warmest congratulations on this dear occasion to every single one of you.
It is with pride that I congratulate my brother... our symbol and leader UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the 41st National Day... and to my brothers Their Highnesses Federal Supreme Council members and rulers of the emirates and to my brother Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forced Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
We pray to Almighty God to watch over our beloved homeland and bless this country with peace and prosperity.
