DUBAI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has praised President Sheikh Khalifa as a unique international leader and a successful man loved by his people.
Sheikh Khalifa has a different approach to leadership and a unique philosophy on leading countries and peoples in addition to a new approach of creating happiness for his people, said Sheikh Mohammed, the state news agency Wam reported.
In an article titled "Thank You, Khalifa" Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "Seven years ago, immediately after assuming the office of the Vice President and Prime Minister, I held several meetings with federal officials and assigned a work team to conduct surveys on the most important needs of the citizens.
“I presented to the President the most important priorities in my work plan and the most important changes in the Government, as well as the most important future phases.
“He responded by saying that we are one team. If you are short of anything, I will complete it. The needs of the citizens will be a priority for all of us.”
Sheikh Mohammed expressed admiration for Sheikh Khalifa’s foresight and care.
“I know that Sheikh Khalifa has his own studies on various projects and follows up on the citizens’ conditions, but I was surprised at the accuracy of his information when we started working in the field,” he wrote.
“For example, we asked for the number of citizens who were in need for rebuilding of their houses and surprisingly we found the lists were ready in the Presidential court and were being studied.
“We announced 2013 as a year of Emiratisation, and surprisingly we found there was a similar project with the President to find jobs for 25,000 citizens.”
He said Sheikh Khalifa covered expenses for the health care of citizens, paid off citizens’ liabilities, followed up on housing programmes, pardoned prisoners, honoured expatriate residents and provided help for underprivileged people.
Sheikh Mohammed said this was despite his pressing engagement with affairs of the country and its citizens.
“The philosophy and approach of Sheikh Khalifa is centred on the human being, since every human being has a value, every citizen has a priority, everyone deserves to live a dignified life, every woman deserves to achieve her ambitions, every patient deserves to have medical treatment, every family has the right to be housed, everyone deserves to take his rights, every needy person deserves help regardless of his place, work, gender or religion.
“Sheikh Khalifa finds all this to be his responsibility, duty and a priority on his agenda.
“Khalifa bin Zayed is a leader and a role model. I extend thanks on behalf of thousands of people, who got jobs, thousands of patients who were paid their medical expenses, needy people who were paid their debts and on behalf of the UAE which he gave his thoughts, time, life and efforts, until it reached global standards. I thank them and call everyone to thank him.
“Today, I write this article not to commend the President but for history, and as a testimony that when we rush to do something for the benefit of the citizens, we find the President has done it before us.
“I write this for leaders everywhere that the needs of the citizens can be met without much hue and cry.
“I write this so that the generations may know that Sheikh Khalifa, from the time he took up government responsibilities in the 1960s until today, has never stopped meeting the needs of his people and solving their problems.”
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