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29 March 2024

Mastered art of modern defence: Gen Mohammed

General Sheikh Mohammed

Published
By WAM

General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, has said that decision to unify our Armed Forces represents a landmark in the history of our nation and is the result of concerted national efforts.

"On this glorious day, we owe the debt of gratitude to the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for his unwavering efforts to create this federation, unify our Armed Forces and equip them to the best standards with state-of-the-art technology and training", General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said this in his speech to Dira' al Watan (Nation Shield Magazine), on the 35th Anniversary of the Unification of the UAE Armed Forces.

Full text of his speech:
 

"Dear brothers and sisters, officers, warrant officers and enlisted members of the army, Peace be upon you all. Today as we celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Unification of the UAE Armed Forces, we are even more certain that when Their Highnesses, the Rulers of the UAE, resolved to unify the forces under one flag, one slogan and one command, they wanted our young, beloved state to have an army strong enough to defend its sovereignty and protect its stability and achievements.

The decision to unify our Armed Forces represents a landmark in the history of our nation and is the result of concerted national efforts. On this glorious day, we owe the debt of gratitude to the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for his unwavering efforts to create this federation, unify our Armed Forces and equip them to the best standards with state-of-the-art technology and training.

The decision to unify the Armed Forces came as a natural response to the development of the federation and as an expression of the aspirations and hopes of our people marking a realistic gradual approach that distinguishes the UAE's foreign and domestic policy. Undoubtedly, the step was also a reaffirmation of the sincere desire to overcome all obstacles impeding full integration of all different organisations in our country.

Fellow officers and soldiers, I am pleased to confirm here that, by the will of God and thanks to perseverance in training and keeping abreast of contemporary developments, our Armed Forces have mastered many modern defence systems and technical equipment within a short period of time and are now considered on equal footing with modern armies and a major player in ensuring security and stability in the region.

Our Armed Forces have witnessed a massive development and modernization process which has enabled them to be a major contributor to our nation's economic and human development. There is no doubt this is the fruit of the continuous efforts of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces who spared no efforts in utilising all capabilities to develop our Armed Forces so that they are always well prepared to protect the security of our homeland and citizens and abort any attempts to threaten our rights or national sovereignty.

Recently, our Special Forces succeeded in foiling a piracy attempt on one of our cargo ships, proving that our Armed Forces are capable of protecting our interests as best they can. We stress here that our confidence and faith in our Armed Forces is limitless. Our Armed Forces are the shield of our homeland, the embodiment of the federation and the symbol of our national unity.

We are proud of the capabilities of our Armed Forces and their great record in protecting our gains and preserving the security of our homeland. We are equally proud of their external achievements overseas through participating in several missions and their effective role in keeping peace and carrying out relief work under the umbrella of the United Nations.

Brothers and sisters, officers, warrant officers and soldiers, As we continue to develop and modernise our armed forces and equip them with the latest arms and technology, we renew our commitment to the deep-rooted principles on which the UAE was founded. These principles stem from our deep conviction of the importance of dialogue and peaceful relations between nations and societies and total non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, so as to create a world of tolerance and cooperation.

We reaffirm once again our conviction that acquiring state-of-the-art weaponry and technologies is by no means a change in our peaceful policies but a confirmation of our desire to preserve peace, protect the gains of the federation and contribute to the protection of the regional and international security.

Brothers and sisters, officers, warrant officers and soldiers, The Anniversary of the Unification of our Armed Forces is yet another occasion on which we express our deep gratitude to your blessed efforts for the advancement of our nation. It is also an opportunity to renew our high esteem and faith in your capabilities and encourage you to enhance your knowledge and expertise, gain more skills, keep abreast of the latest scientific and military developments and continue to do more to maintain the security and stability of our homeland. I would also like to commend the important role of our women in our Armed Forces, as they have proven their worth by joining our military to shoulder equal responsibility to perform duties and make sacrifices in defense of our homeland, its independence and achievements.

Brothers and Sisters - Armed Forces Staff, We seize this glorious occasion to reconfirm Armed Forces' pledge to defend the Federation, national unity and Arab and friendly countries. Being part of the national force is a duty and an honor for all citizens - male and female.

It gives me great pleasure to convey, on your behalf, our heart-felt congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (May God keep him), His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, and Their Highnesses, Members of the Supreme Federal Council and Rulers of the Emirates.

I would like also to congratulate the people of UAE, and to reassure our wise leadership that we will proceed with our march toward progress.

On this occasion, we beseech the Almighty to continue to bestow on us prosperity, and bless us to live with dignity, security and stability.

May peace and blessings of Allah be upon you".