UAE National Day: Dubai ruler lauds achievements, says ‘new world order’ taking shape

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister as well as Ruler of Dubai, praised the achievements of the country on its 51st National Day, including how it is encouraging tourism and dealing with climate change.

“Our country today is one of the ten most attractive destinations in the world, and our objective is to increase our competitiveness and raise the contribution of tourism to our GDP to AED450 billion by 2031,” he said in a statement.

This comes as it was recently reported that Dubai topped a list of cities with the highest spending by international visitors in 2022, as per the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Cities Economic Impact report.

The city raked in $29.4 billion in international visitor spending so far this year, ahead of Doha ($16.8 billion) and London ($16.1 billion).

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum added that the UAE Tourism Strategy “aims to promote a unified national identity and support Emirati tourism, as part of the Projects of the 50,” referring to developmental and economic projects that aim to establish the country’s status as an ideal destination for talents and investors.

Meanwhile, speaking about climate change, he said the UAE has prioritised climate action and implemented legislation, action plans and policies to address the issue.

It is contributing to international efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures through achievements in the field of clean energy, the creation of an ideal working environment for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) as well as through a strategic partnership with the US to invest $100 billion in clean energy projects in the two countries and around the world by 2035, he said.

Next year, the UAE will host the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Abu Dhabi.

A ‘new world order’

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that while the world seems to be more advanced and connected than ever before, “divisions are increasing and humanitarian crises are happening as a result of wars, pandemics, poverty and climate change.”

He said “the world order that was established after World War II is beginning to dismantle and a new world order is taking shape”.

“We are closely monitoring these changes, tracking their developments and addressing their impacts to protect our security, stability and development while preserving our principles and interacting with our partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab region, as well as the rest of the world.”

He ended by saying: “In the era of changes, transformations and artificial intelligence, we need to protect our values, heritage and traditions and guarantee a balance between them and new developments.”

Meanwhile, UAE Preisdent Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Twitter that the day “holds a special place in the story of the UAE, when our nation’s founding fathers joined together to establish the Union.”

Politicians, diplomats mark the occasion

Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, noted in a statement that “the UAE hosts 1.6 million strong and law abiding Pakistani community acting as a bridge between the two countries and strengthening people to people contact.

“Remittance sent by these workers who came to the UAE to earn an honest livelihood, have also been an important factor in the social and economic uplift of Pakistan.”

H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to Pakistan, said the UAE helped flood affectees in the South Asian country by establishing an air bridge of humanitarian aid, which carried 57 flights to Pakistan, and 205 containers arrived Pakistan carrying thousand tons of foods, health packages and various shelter materials.

“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,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on Twitter said the day “is a reminder of the dynamic vision of its founding fathers who laid the foundation of a great nation through unification.”

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto tweeted that the UAE’s impressive economic development under its visionary leadership is acknowledged by the world, while Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar noted that Pakistan and the UAE “are long-standing friends and partners and we look forward to work closer at bilateral and multilateral levels to strengthen the existing relationship.”