3.29 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

UAE high in human development

The UAE's flag flies high (File)

Published
By Staff

The UAE moved two steps forward in the UN World Human Development Report for 2011 to rank 30th and get the top Arab rank.

Officials considered it as a good global rank that illustrates the country’s huge development achievements.

Economy Ministers Sultan Al Mansouri credited late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan for such achievemens during a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi to launch the UN 2011 annual report.

“The wise leadership of the state adopted an ambitious vision established by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahayan, God bless his soul who said ’ human is the base of any civilization act’… so the developing experience represents an international symbol in total development field on all levels,” Mansouri said.

“We should acknowledge the efforts exerted by our wise leadership to use the oil resources revenues to spur development and fund main developing projects to establish a symbolic state able to transfer to new stages in social and economical development and focus on developing the country’s infrastructure of schools, hospitals , ports and airports.”

He said that the UAE considers education as the gate through an
innovated , thinking generations could be prepared , able to achieve the development goals.

He noted that the number of governmental and private schools now exceeds 1400 while it was only 74 in 1971.
As for health, he said medical services in the UAE now cover all populated areas adding there are 40 hospitals and more than 115 medical care centers.

Turning to economy, he said the country’s GDP has increased substantially since the UAE was created in 1971, jumping from only around Dh6.5 billion to more than Dhone trillion in 2011. Despite a steady rise in the population, the UAE’s GDP per capita reached Dh132,000in 2010, one of the world’s highest.

The industrial sector has also largely expanded and contributed 16.4% to GDP in 2010, he said, adding that the UAE hopes to build competitive knowledge economy according to its 2021 vision.

In his address, an Abu Dhabi official said the UAE development accomplishments were a normal outcome of the efforts and attitude of the leadership represented in the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoom, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and General Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

“The UAE, through its wise policies, gave priority for consolidating the principle of people's participation, activating the relationship between citizens and authorities. The state also was keen to empower women and endear a community culture in the favour of women participation in the public affairs. Thus; women have become influential and a real partner in the process of construction and sustainable development plans,” said Mohammed Abdullah, undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.

Rebeca Grynspan, Associate Administrator of the UNDP said it is a great opportunity to launch the report in Abu Dhabi for the second consecutive year because of the high place UAE achieved in the report as it is the first among Arab countries.

She added that the report looks at various challenges facing development in the world specially how to meet the basic needs of the peoples.

Amatul Aleem Sowsawa, UN General Secretary Assistant for UNDP in the Arab region said: "We are glad for launching Human Development Report 2011 for the second consecutive year in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. It is an opportunity to highlight the challenges and opportunities facing human development in the Arab region and to highlight the UAE admirable march of human development in the recent years at the time of celebrating 40 anniversary of its establishment.”

Al Sawsawa asserted that although UAE has achieved the highest per capita income all over the world, it has also realized unprecedented leaps in human development particularly healthcare and education by virtue of its successful strategies and vision of investing its income in these two fields.

 

Read more:

     

UAE’s non-oil trade surges 22%