The United Arab Emirates celebrates the golden jubilee of the establishment of the Emirati federation in 1971. After several unsuccessful attempts by Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid to create a federation that included later-independent Qatar and Bahrain, the two gathered the rulers of the seven emirates at the Guest House in Dubai on December 2, 1971.

The leaders of the UAE agree on basic principles within a common vision which is based on investing the present for a better future for the generations to come and gathering the capabilities of the country’s citizens and residents to achieve comprehensive development. All nationalities, ethnicities and religions come together to achieve, in perfect harmony and according to the laws. The leaders of the UAE focus on persistence, determination to continue and produce.

This is what has made the achievements build up since independence. The UAE is aware of the need to move the country from a rentier economy based on the sale of oil and its derivatives to a diversified economy based on industries and being a global centre for finance, companies, tourism and various activities.

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The leaders of the UAE stress in many statements on the firm will because it guarantees continuity and productivity. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in his speech on the 50th: "The next fifty years are seen with a comprehensive, long-term strategic vision whose approach are excellence, individuality. The vision goals are to secure a happy future and a better life for future generations and develop the country and protect its reputation, sustainability and soft power so that by the centenary of its foundation, it will be one of the best countries in the world.”

Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, says on the fiftieth National Day within the unified vision: "We are proud of what we have achieved over the past decades and we continue the journey of achievements with greater determination, stronger will and limitless ambitions … May the founders rest in peace and may God preserve the UAE and give it more prosperity, security and glory!"

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai asserts that the first fifty years of the UAE were preparation and readiness and that the next fifty years are a breakthrough to great scientific, global, economic and humanitarian limits.

Vision, future and achievements

The UAE is reaping the results of its long investment in Emirati cadres and competencies to lead future projects and achieve the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071. Since the founding fathers' time, the UAE has invested in the vision of comprehensive development to build the federation. It worked on smart investment in the diverse existing and incoming human resources to be a constitutional, organizational and administrative rules in the country.

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in a speech on the occasion, refers to some of the country’s achievements in the last fifty years. The UAE has been able to empower women and youth, built a diversified national economy. It sent the first Emirati astronaut to the International Space Station. It launched the “Probe of Hope” to Mars and the UAE became the first in the Arab world and the fifth globally to make this achievement.

President Khalifah bin Zayed Al Nahyan continues in his speech: “The country inaugurated the first multi-station nuclear energy project in the Arab world. The country has turned into a regional centre for new and renewable energy projects. Regarding the long vision since the founding fathers, the UAE adopted a national strategy to attract talents and brilliant minds." He also drew attention to the link between an internal and foreign policy which has strengthened the status of the state in the Gulf, the world and the Arab and Islamic world under the slogan "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future.

In fifty years, the UAE has achieved sustainable development, political stability, and remarkable security. The UAE has become a leading regional, international and financial centre and one of the best places to live, work, invest and visit. The UAE came in first place in competitiveness indices; Happiness, Excellence, Governance, Economic Openness, Quality of Life, and Entrepreneurship.

The UAE President Sheikh Khalifa confirms on a set of principles -that have been in place since the time of the founding fathers- based on openness, tolerance, the preservation of rights, the consolidation of justice and law, respect for cultures, the consolidation of human brotherhood and respect for national identity. The UAE works to achieve regional and global peace and stability and emphasizes Gulf security and supports peace efforts.

Regarding its efforts for regional and international peace, the UAE believes that the peace deal with Israel will transfer the official treatment of the Palestinian cause from the stage of political trade to the logical treatment that will lead to opening new horizons that support stability and help prosperity.

In March 2021, the UAE started operating the Barakah peaceful nuclear energy plants, which are the latest achievements and the first peaceful nuclear energy reactor in the Arab world. At the end of 2020, the UAE succeeded in reaching the reactor of the first plant to 100% of its production capacity. The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plants contain 4 reactors which are part of the third generation of advanced nuclear power reactors which will produce 5.6 gigawatts of electricity upon completion.

The UAE is active in the field of space and satellite missions. It launched the Hope Probe to Mars which arrived last February in addition to sending an astronaut to the International Station. The UAE was successful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and provided a pioneering model in managing this type of crisis. A number of capabilities made it worthy of hosting the most important trade fair (Expo) in the world. The UAE established the Abrahamic House of Peace to call for peace and coexistence. Last October, the UAE was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council between 2022-2024. The UAE is the first Arab country to head the "Interpol" organization for 4 years.

A long list of achievements over fifty years, not all of them can be talked about. These achievements start with the establishment of seven federal hospitals, the establishment of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company - ADNOC, the opening of the new international airport in Dubai and several airports, the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, duty-free shops, universities, and a Dubai International Financial Centre, and various institutions.

The report will finish with the UAE future projects. The UAE has a plan for the next fifty years. The most prominent UAE projects within the year of the fiftieth year plan:

The UAE will launch the "National Value Added Programme" to enhance the competitiveness of the economy and will announce the launch of the "Fourth Industrial Revolution Network", which aims to establish 500 new companies in the local market within 5 years working based on the main elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

There is 10×10 which is a comprehensive economic program that aims to enhance the UAE’s non-oil exports to 10 major markets around the world over the next ten years with an increase in the value of exports by 10% annually.

The UAE will seek to establish strategic partnerships with 8 major markets around the world and expand the scope of trade exchange with them by 40 billion dirhams annually. In addition, it will launch the "Supreme Committee for Global Economic Partnerships" which aims to enhance cooperation with 8 major markets for UAE trade.

The UAE announced the 36,000 programmer initiative: The UAE, through a vital plan, aims to introduce 36,000 programmers into the UAE economy starting from next year until the end of 2023, at a rate of 100 programmers every day and 3,000 programmers per month, working to enhance the position of the UAE digitally.

As well, the unified platform http://Invest.ae. It is one of the most important channels established by the UAE to facilitate the entry of new companies into the UAE economy. It brings together all the local emirates and 14 economic entities. The UAE has allocated ten billion dirhams to support the industrial sector and emerging projects to diversify the UAE economy.

"The real wealth is not material wealth but the real wealth of a nation is its people who shape the future of their nation," This is the message of the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Maktoum, that his sons follow after him.

BY: thelevant