51st NATIONAL DAY OF THE UAE: Messages from H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi Ambassador of the UAE to Pakistan

TEXT: We are witnessing the 51st anniversary of United Arab Emirates with the sense of pride and privilege, mainly attributed to its leadership, the faithful people and the great achievements made by Emirates over the last 50 decades.

The miraculous accomplishments in the areas of development over the last year coincide with the unprecedented success of UAE, which has the pride to not only host international events but to successfully host the EXPO 2020 amid the gigantic participation of more than 192 countries and thousands of multinational and leading companies.

The celebration in UAE comes this year with the visionary leadership of the president His Highness Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum the Vice President/Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the trust-worthy members of the Supreme Council, whom adopted the "Principles of the 50" as ten principles that act as guidelines for all institutions in the UAE as the country approaches a new phase of growth and development over the next 50 years.

The UAE adopts economic strategies that stimulate economic diversification away from oil, and working to build an economy based on knowledge and diversity, reinforced by scientific and technological progress, and to provide impetus for investment in digital and circular economies, as well as sectors based on artificial intelligence and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The UAE believes that the future of regional security depends on strong multilateral partnerships and a common commitment to achieving stability and prosperity through peaceful political and economic means. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements will continue to pave the way for more opportunities for the people of the region and open the way for the vital economic development of the Middle East, accelerating and enhancing trade across nations and increasing the ease of doing business throughout the region, and in other markets such as Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The United Arab Emirates has become an important trade hub, and it is aware of the necessity of prosperity and the free flow of goods and services as a fundamental principle for any modern and peaceful forward-looking country, and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements are the latest step in this regard.

The UAE has made remarkable progress in all areas of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, and this includes the priorities of the Financial Action Task Force such as risk assessment, international cooperation and confiscation of proceeds of crime.

The UAE will continue to pursue a foreign policy aimed at building on the common interests among the countries of the region in promoting peace, stability, prosperity and the well-being of peoples. The UAE firmly believes that the region cannot tolerate more polarization and confrontation and that the coming decades require more communication, integration and cooperation in the political, economic, technological, health and food fields.

The UAE has worked over the past five decades to strengthen international partnerships and is moving at a steady pace, its relations with all countries are characterized by continuity, moderation, diplomacy and wisdom, despite the changes on the global political, security, economic and health scene, and this is harnessed to find common ground to find solutions to regional and international challenges and conflicts.

The UAE has deep and distinguished relations with all countries, which reinforces and reflects its principles based on openness, partnership, building bridges, and working to consolidate peace, and the common interests of countries and peoples, in a way that contributes to achieving international peace and security.

The UAE believes that the coming period requires focus on dialogue, cooperation and building bridges to crystallize innovative and lasting solutions to the challenges of the times, principles that have always charted the path of the UAE since its establishment, Affirming that we must promote a culture of tolerance, openness, women empowerment, modernity and rationality, which does not conflict with the tolerant values of Islam, the UAE will continue to stand up to extremist ideologies and those who use violence to achieve their political goals.

As home to more than 200 nationalities from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, the UAE is deeply committed to safeguarding human rights and building upon its steady progress in this field, Over the years, the UAE has signed several treaties to protect human rights and in October 2021 the UAE won membership in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022-2024 term for the third time in its history.

A knowledge-based economy, creativity and innovation seen as a driving force of development and competitiveness across a highly advanced and capable science and technology sector are integral part of the UAE's foreign policy, which plays a significant role in developing this sector for several reasons, most important of which is knowledge transfer.

The UAE has launched its space program and succeeded in knowledge and expertise transfer in this field in collaboration with engineers and scientists from various countries based on transparency, responsible behavior, and confidence-building. This has played an essential role in building the space sector and helped enhance the entire UAE's technology sector. In the next 50 years, the UAE will distinguish itself as a trailblazing nation in crucial sectors such as sustainable energy development, science, and technology innovations, and international aid and development.

The United Arab Emirates is committed to international aid based on the principle of humanity and solidarity which states, "The Emirates’ foreign humanitarian aid is essential to its vision and moral duty towards less fortunate peoples. Our foreign humanitarian aid is not tied to religion, race, color, or culture. Political disagreement with any country should not justify failing to provide relief to that country in cases of disasters, emergencies, and crises.”

Over 50 years, from 1971 to 2021, the UAE provided foreign aid worth AED322 billion, 90.9% of UAE aid was allocated to development aid, with a value of AED292.45 billion; 7.4% for humanitarian assistance, with a value of AED23.68 billion; and 1.7% for charitable support, with a value of AED5.57 billion, the geographical area of UAE aid expanded to more than 175 countries and geographical regions around the world, including 50 least-developed countries.

This year the brotherly people of Pakistan confronted the territorial rains and devastating floods resulted by the global climate change, claiming more than 1700 precious lives damaging people, live stocks and lands.

As the UAE’s wise leadership always stood first to assist and provide humanitarian support to the brotherly Pakistani people as and when needed in times of national crisis and natural calamities, it remained the largest relief assistance provider to the flood affectees.

Upon directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, an air bridge of humanitarian aid has been established which carried 57 flights to Pakistan, and 205 containers arrived Pakistan carrying thousand tons of foods, health packages and various shelter materials, beside the UAE NGO’s such as UAE Red Crescent, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation and other charitable organizations are still working in fields to provide rescue and relief assistance aid to the victims of devastating floods.

UAE and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan rejoice a unique friendship that withstood various tests and the scope of our cooperation kept expanding with the passage of time and now covers various fields, as the eternal and strong bilateral relations between the two countries are based on brotherhood, mutual feelings of the two nations, historical depth, geographic neighborhood and common interests.

Finally, I would like to express best wishes and congratulations on this occasion to the wise leadership of UAE and thanks and gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their kind emotions towards the United Arab Emirates as they are celebrating here with us the occasion, and pray that the relationship of two countries may succeed the wider horizons of greater achievements for the betterment of the two countries and its peoples.

Pak-UAE Dosti,,, Zinda Baad

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022