Sheikh Sultan is being briefed about the project.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council and member of the Sharjah Executive Council, has stressed that the Emirate of Sharjah made huge strides of development and progress during 2020, an extraordinary year. The year began with His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, approving the annual budget on Jan.12, 2020. The 2020 budget was the largest ever in the Emirate’s history, sanctioning total expenditure of Dhs29.1 billion, a 2% increase over the 2019 budget. His Highness followed it up by approving on Dec.27, 2020 the general budget of Dhs33.6 billion for the year 2021, a significant increase of 12% over the year 2020.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi said: “The two budgets’ approvals were separated by 11 months and 7 days despite the fact that 2020 was a challenging year for the whole world in every sense of the word.”

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Under the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, 2020 began with love when on Jan.5, His Highness gifted Egypt 425 rare Egyptian artefacts from multiple eras, dating back to before and after Christ.

“Sharjah also made use of disasters as an opportunity for promoting human compassion, and reached out to crisis-hit Lebanon through its campaign “Peace to Beirut” launched by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi,” he pointed out.

Dr Sheikh Sultan being briefed during a meeting with Sewa chief in Sharjah. WAM

“Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of Sharjah Executive Council, granted exceptional leave to thousands of Sharjah government employees to work from home during the pandemic, especially allowing female employees with children to work from home,” stressed the Chairman of Sharjah Media Council.

New projects: During the year 2020, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurated as many as 25 major projects in the Emirate. The corona pandemic did not constitute an obstacle to the ambitions of the Emirate of Sharjah, and its sustainable development plans.

Some of the most prominent projects include:

On Jan.14, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah inaugurated the Interventional Radio Telescope Station at the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences, including the series of radio telescopes as part of the 40-metre-long Interventional Radio Telescope project.

On Feb.17 His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurated the Martyr Sultan Muhammad Bin Huwaiden Al Ketbi Mosque in Al-Taybah area in Al Dhaid, in the presence of the sons and relatives of the martyr and the notables and people of the central region.

 The mosque accommodates 1,850 worshippers and was designed in the Fatimid Islamic architectural style.

 His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurated on December 9 the House of Wisdom complex. He was accompanied by Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). The House of Wisdom is an innovative cultural project that embodies the latest model of future libraries in the world, and celebrates Sharjah’s crowning as the 2019 World Book Capital by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

Sheikh Sultan inaugurated on Dec.14 the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre in the presence of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, and Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Art Foundation.

The Sharjah Book Authority recorded a new history and great success, by organising the first international exhibition during the “COVID-19” period, when it held the 39th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, from Nov.4 to 14, at the Expo Centre Sharjah, under the slogan “The World Reads From Sharjah.” More than 1,024 Arab and foreign publishers took part with strict social distancing and precautionary measures.