Mohammad mourns former UAE minister Khalfan Al Roumi

Dubai: Khalfan Mohammad Al Roumi, former UAE Minister of Information and Culture and one of the most important national figures who served his homeland and witnessed the establishment of the UAE, passed away on Wednesday.

Al Roumi was the brother of Mariam Al Roumi, the outgoing Minister of Social Affairs, and the father of Uhoud Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the nobility of Khalfan Al Roumi. “We grieve deeply at the departure of this great individual,” Shaikh Mohammad said.

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs also mourned Khalfan Mohammad Al Roumi praying to the Almighty Allah to rest his soul in Paradise and bestow patience and solace upon his family.

Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, mourned the Khalfan Al Roumi, saying: “The UAE has lost one of its greatest and loyal sons. The wise politician, the modest man and the honourable teacher and the man who has a proven record of national accomplishments passed away.”

Gargash prayed to Allah to rest his soul in eternal peace and grant patience and solace to his family.

Being a great pioneer in the UAE society, Khalfan Al Roumi was in the First Cabinet after obtaining academic certificates that were among the top and was sent to Iraq in 1965 for educational missions.

His persistence and thirst for knowledge and education made him eager to travel abroad in an effort to seek more knowledge and education.

He returned to the UAE in 1968 and was appointed a teacher and then deputy director of “Knowledge Management” in Sharjah.

National duties

In 1971, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, chose Al Roumi to be a council member and commissioned his visit to Gulf states, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, a few months before the United Arab Emirates federation was officially formed, to inform these countries of the state of the union.

In addition to his position, the pioneer was assigned to the Arab League to discuss the issue of the UAE islands — Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mousa — occupied by Iran before the establishment of the state of the union on December 2, 1971.

In the second cabinet formed in 1973, late Khalfan Al Roumi took up the post of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education after the passing away of Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam.

He also took over the Ministry of Health during the third cabinet change in 1977 and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in 1983.

The innovator was then appointed Minister of Information and Culture and President of the Council of Arab Journalism Award in 1990, which contributed to the development of the industry.

In 2013, Al Roumi was honoured by Shaikh Mohammad, who lauded him as a national symbol who served the country alongside its founding fathers.

UAE honours Al Roumi

In a ceremony organised by the Dubai Government’s Media Office at Meydan Hotel to mark Al Roumi’s safe return from treatment abroad, and in recognition of his national efforts and dedication, and role in the UAE’s development, Shaikh Mohammad described Al Roumi as a national figure.

“I have known Al Roumi since the UAE federation era, in the times of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the founding fathers. He is a person who has loyally served the nation since the federation.

“I have long followed the march of Al Roumi, and I trust him very much. I am very happy that he has returned home safe and sound to continue on the AJA (Arab Journalism Award) board,” Shaikh Mohammad added.

A man of immense forethought, Al Roumi’s views on progress and development revealed his breadth of vision.

During the launch of the 1995 Yearbook, released by the UAE Ministry of Information and Culture, which highlighted the fact that the first 24 years of the UAE have been a fast-moving quarter century with more progress packed into this time span than many countries have experienced over a 100 or more years, Al Roumi said: “Real progress can only be sustained, or have true meaning, if there is genuine human development. The fact that every child in the UAE now receives a first-class education is worth more than any amount of construction or commercial growth,” Al Roumi said.

“We cannot, however, afford to stand still, for, the challenges that face us are just as great now as they were 25 years ago.

“Our goal must be to maintain our standard of living, to continue to honour the principles that have guided our path and to ensure that future generations can enjoy the benefits that we have today,” the minister noted.

Funeral prayers will be performed at Al Sahaba Mosque in Sharjah after Dhuhur prayer on Thursday.