UAE's 'unbreakable fortress': Why Sheikh Saif says residents, relocating millionaires don't need to worry

Dubai: The UAE has become an “unbreakable fortress” where families, faith, industry, and wealth are absolutely secure, Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said on Thursday.

Addressing the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Sheikh Saif delivered a powerful message of reassurance to citizens and residents including millionaires relocating to the UAE every day: “Do not worry. Your family, your faith, your industry, and your wealth are secure. You are safe, within the unbreakable fortress of the UAE.”

The Deputy PM revealed that the UAE retained its position as the world's leading wealth magnet, with a record net inflow of 9,800 millionaires last year. Currently, the nation is home to more than 240,000 millionaires with a total wealth exceeding $785 billion.

The knight and guardian

In a stirring tribute, Sheikh Saif described President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the guardian ensuring this fortress remains impregnable.

“Stability comes at a very high cost, yet its rewards are immensely valuable. Behind every stable family stands a wise and courageous guardian whose sole concern is the security and stability of his family,” Sheikh Saif pointed out.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed is a knight who leads with wisdom and courage the great family of the UAE: the unbreakable fortress of the nation,” he said.

Three pillars of security

Sheikh Saif outlined the three fundamental pillars that make the UAE fortress unbreakable: industry and technological leadership; comprehensive deterrence and integration; and above all, a cohesive family and noble values.

“The strength of fortresses does not lie in stones and building materials alone; it lies in their leadership and in the people who fortified them and were fortified by them,” he emphasised.

The UAE has positioned itself as the world's most trusted destination for data and artificial intelligence, becoming the global leader in the AI adoption index. Sheikh Saif revealed that the nation has completed the "artificial intelligence pyramid" across five critical pillars: clean energy, chips, infrastructure, models, and applications.

"The world trusts the UAE because it will handle the data of nations and companies the same way it handles embassies protected by law," he said, explaining why global confidence in the nation continues to grow.

Economic and industrial might

As an industrial powerhouse, Sheikh Saif pointed out that the country is a major global player in Concentrated Solar Power, nuclear energy production, and aluminium manufacturing.

"The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed has shaped the UAE's industrial identity," Sheikh Saif said, crediting the President's wisdom for making artificial intelligence central to the nation's economic future.

The Deputy PM highlighted how non-oil foreign trade surged over 26 per cent to exceed $1 trillion, a target achieved five years early. The UAE now ranks first globally in 264 competitiveness indicators and exports products to more than 180 countries, he said.

He credited His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for enabling the country to achieve the non-oil trade target five years ahead of schedule.

Sheikh Saif also thanked, Sheikh Mohammed saying: “Thank you for all that we have learned from you: generosity, positivity, and love for the nation.”

From tents to space

Tracing the UAE's remarkable transformation, Sheikh Saif noted how the nation has evolved from early schooling in tents to reaching space.

He cited the MBZ Sat of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre as the latest example of the country's commitment to advancing science and technology.

Humanitarian champion

While excelling economically and technologically, the UAE has established itself as a champion of global peace and a premier provider of humanitarian assistance worldwide.

Sheikh Saif commended the UAE's contributions to peace efforts in multiple conflict zones under Sheikh Mohamed's guidance.

He pointed out that the UAE is the third-largest donor of humanitarian aid globally, having provided assistance to over 30 countries. The nation's contributions to Gaza alone exceed $3 billion, representing 46 per cent of total global aid to the region, along with more than 150 tons of supplies and the construction of six water desalination plants.

Family as foundation

Emphasising the role of family as the cornerstone of national strength, Sheikh Saif said: “The family is the source of values, identity, patriotism, loyalty, and belonging and the mother is its cornerstone."

He described the Emirati family as “a national project built daily in every Emirati home,” adding that the UAE believes knowledge, tolerance, and the rule of law will create lasting peace within the nation's fortress.

"The strength of the Emirati fortress is you. No matter the opportunities and challenges of today and tomorrow, through you, the sons of Zayed and the brothers of Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE's fortress grows ever stronger and more stable," Sheikh Saif concluded.

He also thanked Kuwait for its support in health and education during the UAE's early years. He prayed for mercy upon the late Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Al Sabah, the visionary founder of modern Kuwait, and conveyed respect to Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait.