Dubai: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has laid out a 10-point programme for the government with the common aim of improving the lives of the UAE people. The plan, issued as the nation celebrates its founding 44 years ago, outlines the national priorities despite the turmoil in the region and the UAE armed forces’ active participation in standing up for the rule of law across the region.
“Our Armed Forces servicemen have set wonderful examples of the ultimate heroism and sacrifice. We have lost martyrs, who offered their lives in defence of their nation and its values,” Shaikh Khalifa said.
“All of us have a duty, which is to remain loyal to the values for which they offered their lives, to complete what they have begun, to instil in the hearts and minds of our children the values of sacrifice and loyalty and to work together to keep our nation, for which those martyrs offered their lives, ever stronger and respectable.”
Paying tribute to the founders of the nation, Shaikh Khalifa said that “thanks to their far-sighted vision, our nation has developed a successful development model, presenting to the world a pioneering experiment in justice, rule of law, economic diversification, judicious harnessing of resources and sustainable development”.
He praised the young people of the UAE “who rushed enthusiastically to join national military service. It is this confidence and enthusiasm that makes us feel more proud of our citizens’ capabilities, more optimistic and reassured about the future of the UAE and more resolved to carry out our national responsibility”.
Shaikh Khalifa said the 10-point programme aims “to raise the nation’s profile and prestige and protect its security in order to advance our intensified national initiatives to become one of the best countries in the world by the time of the Golden Jubilee in December 2021 in areas of housing, infrastructure and government services, which is the ultimate goal of our national agenda”.
Shaikh Khalifa said that building security capabilities, sustaining social peace, advancing initiatives for the joint security and integration of the counties of the Gulf Cooperation Council, contributing effectively to safeguarding Arab unity and preserving regional security are well-established priorities in national policy and adhere to the founding principles of the UAE.
“To advance this declared policy, we have been among the founders of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition to restore right and legitimacy in Yemen,” Shaikh Khalifa said. “We actively participated in Operation Decisive Storm, and today we are participating in Operation Restoring Hope, which aims to preserve the independence, security, sovereignty and unity of sisterly Yemen and help its people launch a process for building, development and progress of their country.”
He said: “Terrorism is a menace that poses an existential threat to our states and their social fabric, and participation in the global anti-terror fight is an imperative and must-do act as the world will not see security or stability, or development, without eradicating it. Our state will continue to play its role in supporting brothers in this respect. We will neither compromise our state’s security nor that of our brothers. Their security is also ours and we will strongly stand against plots that target the security and stability of our GCC and Arab neighbours.”
Paying tribute to the UAE’s Armed Forces servicemen who have set powerful examples of ultimate heroism and sacrifice, Shaikh Khalifa said “their valuable sacrifices will only stiffen our resolve, enhance our strength and solidify our cohesion and solidarity. Our martyrs will always remain a symbol of dignity and glory and an example of sacrifice and dedication”.
Shaikh Khalifa said that the 10-point plan should be achieved as tribute to the martyrs of the UAE.
