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28 March 2024

Mohammed launches National Agenda for next 7 years

Sheikh Mohammed at the launch in Abu Dhabi. (Courtesy sheikhmohammed.co.ae)

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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE National Agenda for the next seven years, viewed as an extension to UAE Vision 2021 and coinciding with the golden jubilee of the UAE Union.

The launch of the agenda, in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, was attended by over 300 Emirati officials, representing 90 local and federal institutions who had worked on the agenda, which covers the sectors of education, health, economy, police, housing, infrastructure and government services.

Commenting on the occasion, Sheikh Mohammed said, "We have achieved so much over the past years under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and through thousands of local and federal work teams under one umbrella and leadership.

“Hence, the UAE has reached the first rank in many fields. It has launched major projects, and has won bids to host major international events".

He added that the UAE has proven that its economy is one of the strongest economies, as it is growing in a way that exceeds all expectations.

Besides, Emiratis have shown that they are the happiest people across the globe, according to United Nations reports.

"In the name of Sheikh Khalifa and my name, we thank the thousands of teams who exerted their utmost efforts to score the achievements.

“But we have not yet reached our destination, ambition and vision. In the next seven years we will have to put in lots of work.

“Development will be rapid, projects and initiatives will be launched, and great achievements and challenges lie ahead. If work of Emirati teams were rated at 100 per cent in previous years, we would make it 200 per cent," he said.

Education

Sheikh Mohammed said all public schools and curricula will be transformed into smart learning.

Governmental investments in nurseries will be increased in the light of the important role they play.

Health

Sheikh Mohammed assigned the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with all health authorities nationwide, to accredit all public and private hospitals in accordance with the world class standards in terms of services and quality of medical cadres, noting that any unaccredited hospital would not be allowed to operate in the UAE after 2021.

Housing

Regarding housing, he said, the objective of the national agenda is to shorten the waiting period for housing applications from 10 years to two years, noting that this period has already been reduced to five years.

"It is a world record time for provision of houses to youth planning to establish families."

Emiratisation

Sheikh Mohammed said the year 2013 was declared as the year for ‘Tawteen’ (Emiratisation), adding that many results had been achieved so far in this respect. "Our goal is to increase the Emiratisation in the private sector tenfold.

“The government will enforce a number of measures if there is not enough incentive for working in the private sector."

Infrastructure

He said the UAE is looking forward to the best infrastructure in the world over land, air and sea, as well as becoming the best in the world in the ease of doing business.

Over the next seven years, Sheikh Mohammed continued, "We are set to increase the gross national income per capita by 65 per cent, and to make the UAE the safest place in the world, in addition to achieving a four-minute response time for all emergency calls.

“Another objective is to make the UAE the top country in smart-phone governmental services."

He said he is very optimistic about achieving the national agenda, as the seven emirates will work together as one team to ensure that the national agenda is achieved.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, a number of other Sheikhs, ministers and directors of federal and local departments. Wam