DUBAI // Three million followers on Twitter, two million fans on Facebook and one million devotees on both Instagram and Google+.
In all, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President Ruler of Dubai, has amassed more than six million fans on social media.
On Saturday, Sheikh Mohammed took to Twitter to thank his followers and praised the importance of social media as a modern form of mass communication, reported Wam, the state news agency.
“I extend my thanks to all followers and to everyone interacting with us through providing new comments, suggestions and ideas,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted from his account, @HHShkMohd, which was launched in 2009.
"Social media channels created new opportunities, removed all barriers & made the audience part of our development plans. Having a tremendous influence, today social media channels serve as an open parliament and cannot be ignored or misled."
Sheikh Mohammed also thanked his followers for their support of his social media campaigns aimed at helping people around the world, irrespective of religion, colour or ethnicity.
In 2013, he asked his Twitter followers to join a brainstorming session to generate creative new ideas for improving health and education in the country.
Earlier this year, Sheikh Mohammed launched the Twitter hashtag Thank-you Khalifa in Arabic in recognition and appreciation of President Sheikh Khalifa, who he called "a man of efforts and initiatives, which touch us all".
On the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, Sheikh Mohammed announced the UAE Water Aid social media campaign, which helped raise Dh180 million in donations. The money will go toward providing clean drinking water to more than seven million people in poor countries.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
