Full statement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Following is the full statement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai:
O my people, and members of our valiant armed forces, I greet you all, and express my happiness to meet you on this glorious 41st National Day to renew our covenant together, as leaders, as government and the people that we will follow the footsteps of our forefathers and the founding fathers of our country.

We renew our pledge to move forward, taking our beloved motherland to the ranks of the developed countries and further beyond by competing with them with the achievements of our civilisation that continue to develop year after year at all levels.

We witness these achievements particularly in the fields of science, education, health, health care and social development, in addition to the infrastructure, which is given a generous share of the state budget in order to improve the living conditions of the citizens of our country and all segments. The budget allocations for infrastructure also provide sound foundation to build educational and healthcare facilities, sports, housing and so forth.

It needs not to be mentioned that the infrastructure is a key factor and an attractive element for domestic and foreign investments, and for building an integrated national economy capable to compete with and make positive impacts on the regional and international economy.

Together we celebrate today the auspices occasion of our national day as we did commemorate it over the last forty-one years, because we want this dear occasion to perpetuate in the history of our people and take roots in the minds and hearts of our citizens and in the national culture so that it can be inherited by generations after generations.

Our celebration of the glorious National Day each year should remind us of the ancient past of our people and the noble values they held and all their magnificent achievements and heritage. We will 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, safe work and welfare for our citizens, especially the younger generation. It is on them we rely in the process of development and modernisation through their active participation.

The challenges faced by the process of building a modern state were many and complex. But our founding leaders, who were led by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum, were able to meet those challenges and overcome them with determination, persistence and good intentions until we got this welfare, civilization, economic and political stability and social security.

Today, under the leadership of my brother His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, we shoulder this great inheritance, which we cherish and glorify its national and humanitarian achievements.

We preserve it, because it is our national identity that we have to protect and uphold. It is with this identity that we build bridges of communication between ours and other cultures in order to build a humane partnership between our people and the peoples of the world based on mutual understanding, dialogue and coexistence and empathy.

Brothers and sisters, we live as a family in an Arab Muslim society, whose guiding principles are solidarity, national cohesion, justice and sublime human values. So our country will continue to communicate and interact with its Arab, regional and international surroundings in order to preserve our national interests and the interests of others, as well as to serve regional and international peace and to contribute to the economic growth, prosperity and social stability for all people including ours.

As for you, members of our valiant armed forces, you deserve all our respect, reverence and greetings on this precious national occasion.

We urge you to hold on to the virtues and protect the honour of belonging to your military establishment, to your motherland, to your leaders and to your people who put their trust on your capability and steadfastness to safeguard the national gains and protect and defend the sovereignty and independence of our beloved country and dignity of its people.

Your political and military leaders give you all the material support and answer your scientific and training needs so that your armed forces will remain proud with its army, powerful with its faith in God and the sacred national principles, dignified with its leadership, glorious with its national belongingness, sublime with its affiliation to Islamic faith.

My brothers and sisters, you are the source of pride and contentment to your community. You are also the source of security, peace and stability for your country and the region as a whole. So protect the good reputation of our country and its regional and international position.

Finally, we extend to our brother and leader His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, our heartfelt greetings and blessings on this national day.

We also extend sincere greetings to Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, to my dear brother His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to all the sons and daughters of our dear motherland and to every one who live on our land of goodness sharing with us our joy on this glorious occasion.

May peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.