ABU DHABI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has laid out a road map for what he described as the UAE's "great journey" in the next seven years.
The Ruler of Dubai, in his capacity as Vice President and Prime Minister, set a national agenda with targets to be achieved in housing, education, Emiratisation of the private sector, health, the economy, infrastructure and government services.
“In the next seven years, the UAE will go through a great journey that will bring change and fast evolvement to the country to achieve its objectives,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“If our performance as a team during the previous years was 100 per cent, we need to give it 200 per cent in the coming years.”
The national agenda is an extension to UAE Vision 2021, and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the federation.
Sheikh Mohammed said UAE nationals who applied for a home should not wait more than two years to be offered one, and he set that as a target to be achieved.
“This is a world record in the provision of housing for young people who wish to establish families,” he said. “We do not want young people to wait too long for stability in their homes.”
On education, Sheikh Mohammed said his aim was to equip schools and universities with intelligent systems and smart devices. He also spoke of the importance of nursery years in shaping children's personalities.
“Our #NationalAgenda includes moving education towards smart learning and doubling government investments in kindergartens,” he said on Twitter.
Government investment in nurseries will be increased in the light of the important role they play.
Sheikh Mohammed named last year the year of Emiratisation, and now intends to double the target for the number of Emiratis employed in the private sector to provide jobs for the nation's youth.
“I say to my brothers in the private sector, your efforts are appreciated but they are not enough. And the Government will impose new measures to increase the Emiratisation numbers,” he said.
In the health sector, Sheikh Mohammed commissioned the Ministry of Health and all health authorities, both state and private, to provide quality services that matched global standards.
As the global economy changes, the UAE will seek to be the first in the quality of infrastructure including transport, roads and ease of business, Sheikh Mohammed said.
“Our goal is for the UAE to be the capital of economy, tourism, and trade for more than two billion people.”
The goal of development projects was to provide a decent life for the people, and the UAE would aim for an increase of 65 per cent in GDP per capita, he said.
He wants the Government to operate in a “new, unique and different way”, to compete with the best companies to provide a standard measure to other governments, and to be the first in smart services.
“Our #NationalAgenda also aims for the UAE to become the first worldwide in offering smart services through mobile phones,” he tweeted.
Sheikh Mohammed concluded: “I am optimistic in you [people of the UAE] and your team work, and optimistic in the UAE. Even the number seven is a reason to be optimistic because it represents goodness and a blessing.
“Seven days each week we will work non-stop, and seven emirates will work together in their ‘one house’ (bait mtwahd) and seven years will be filled with accomplishment leading to our Golden Jubilee.”
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
* Additional reporting by Melanie Swan and Jennifer Bell
