Sheikh Mohammed chairs Cabinet meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired at Qasr Al Watan in the capital, Abu Dhabi, the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of the new season, where the UAE's competitive and development indicators were reviewed.

Sheikh Mohammed said in a series of tweets on the social networking site Twitter: “At Qasr Al Watan in the capital, Abu Dhabi, I chaired the first meeting of the Council of Ministers in the new season. Trade and development are bigger than before the pandemic.”

Sheikh Mohammed added, "The UAE, under the leadership of my brother, Mohamed Bin Zayed, was the fastest in overcoming the effects of the largest pandemic that passed over mankind and was the most balanced between human health and economic interests," noting that "many countries in the east and west of the world are still suffering from the effects of the pandemic."

Global trade has not yet regained its strength, but the UAE has become a model and a global exception in the speed and strength of growth after the pandemic.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed that "our development indicators today have achieved first place globally in 156 indicators, compared to 121 before the pandemic... and 432 indicators are among the top ten globally, compared to 314 before the pandemic. 

“We are the world’s first in attracting talent, infrastructure, flexibility of laws, our ability to adapt, and more.”

Sheikh Mohammed said, "Our foreign trade for the first six months of this year exceeded Dhs1 trillion, compared to Dhs840 billion before the pandemic. Our economic growth exceeded 22% during the year 2022.”

Sheikh Mohammed added: "Our tourism sector's revenues exceeded Dhs19 billion during the first half of this year, and the total hotel guests reached 12 million, achieving a growth of 42%... and expectations of a strong tourism recovery with the upcoming winter season."

Sheikh Mohammed continued, "We in the Council of Ministers approved the temporary license for the first cargo plane in the region that operates completely with clean electric energy and without any emissions... an important step that may contribute to changing the future of the shipping sector and its environmental impacts."

Sheikh Mohammed said: "We have approved a number of international agreements, including a comprehensive partnership agreement with the Republic of Indonesia, an agreement with the Kingdom of Spain for cooperation in the fight against crime, an agreement with the International Red Cross to establish an office for them in the country, and other agreements to avoid double taxation with a number of countries."