Sheikh Mohammed meets children during UAE Flag Day ceremony. FIle

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, affirmed that the 17 years during which he assumed responsibility for the Council of Ministers and the federal government witnessed many achievements and radical changes aimed at consolidating the national economy and developing the services provided, pointing out until the current stage, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, will witness the continuation of the development process and the exertion of more efforts in order to serve and elevate the people of the Emirates.

Sheikh Mohammed said, "17 years have passed since we took over the responsibility of the Council of Ministers and the federal government... 17 years passed quickly and full of work and achievement... in which we introduced radical changes to the government's performance... the consolidation of the economy... and the development of services."

Government in 17 years

- Government budget increased by more than 140%

- The most effective government in public spending globally

- The most financially efficient government in the world

- The most capable government able to keep pace with global changes

- The highest sovereign financial rating in the region
+1,500 smart services

- 99% in smart e-transformation

Sheikh Mohammed added: "10,000 Cabinet decisions during 440 meetings... and more than 4,200 legislations in all social, economic, service and other sectors... We have moved from a traditional government to a government that provides more than 1,500 services through its smart channels."

Sheikh Mohammed also added, "We fought administrative and financial sluggishness, raised the government budget by more than 140%, and became the most effective government in public spending in the world...

Economy in 17 years

- GDP increases from Dhs815 billion to Dhs1,862 billion

- Foreign trade increased from Dhs415 to Dhs2200 billion

- Attracted more than Dhs734 billion of investments

- Topped the world in 186 international indicators

- Topped the region in 430 regional indexes

- First in the region in attracting and ease of doing business

"We launched 330 government policies and initiatives to develop the economic environment in the country and signed 600 international agreements... so that our foreign trade jumped from Dhs415 billion to Dhs2,200 billion... and let the state's gross product double in the same period, reaching more than Dhs1,800 billion... and let the region lead in the state's incoming investments, reaching more than Dhs734 billion.

Infrastructure in 17 years

- Dhs1 trillion total federal government spending

- Dhs40 billion for housing programmes

Sheikh Mohammed said: "We lead the world today in more than 186 global indicators...we lead the region in more than 430 regional indicators...we have the highest sovereign financial rating in the region...and the first country in the region in the ease of doing business."

He added: "In the past 17 years, we have made many ministerial reshuffles and pushed the youth to take part in shouldering the responsibility. I worked with more than 66 ministers… all of them lived up to their responsibilities... and the government changed to be the most financially efficient government and the most capable of keeping pace with global changes... and we were able to build an integrated space sector, with investments amounting to Dhs36 billion, and includes space missions to Mars, Venus, the Moon, and others... and a space agency and the manufacture of national satellites within ten years only.

Space Science

- Building an integrated space sector with a total investment of Dhs36 billion

- The first Arab astronauts on the International Space Station

- Hope Probe reaches Mars

- 19 orbiting satellites

- 5 research centres for space sciences

His Highness concluded: "Today, with the support of my brother, President of the State, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and in the spirit of union and the spirit of the young Emirates, the march will continue. And God grants success first and foremost.”

JOURNEY OF GOVERNMENT ACTION

After Sheikh Mohammed was elected the Prime Minister of the UAE, the Cabinet held 440 meetings and issued more than 10,000 resolutions between 2006 and 2022. These decisions resulted in 4,200 federal legislation and laws, 400 government policies and initiatives, and 600 international agreements to accelerate national action in the country, support vital sectors that enhance the UAE’s position as a prestigious cultural destination, become a key partner in the global trade movement, and its vital role as an economic hub linking the East to the West. With Sheikh Mohammed steering the Cabinet, the country’s foreign trade jumped to Dhs2,200b, while the GDP doubled to Dhs1,862b. Also, the UAE has been at the forefront of the region’s investment attraction and ease of doing business. The country ranked first in more than 186 global indices and over 430 regional indices, in addition to its highest sovereign rating in the region. In addition, the Cabinet issued several policies and laws to stimulate and regulate the labour market, which attracted Dhs734b worth of Investments.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Social development programmes have received more than Dhs110b of total government spending. The government has also allocated more than Dhs50 billion for housing programmes to citizens that provide the best housing solutions and a decent life for citizens. The education sector accounted for the largest share of government spending during the last period, with a total of nearly Dhs160b, benefitting more than 1.3 million students who receive their academic programmes in more than 1,500 schools and educational institutions under the supervision of more than 150,000 teachers.

The government, headed by Sheikh Mohammed, has allocated more than Dhs60b for the health and community protection sector. The number of health facilities reached more than 5,000, while the number of doctors and nurses exceeded 92,000. Global Competitiveness Reports The UAE ranked first in more than 186 global and over 430 regional indices.

During the past 17 years, the UAE Cabinet's achievements have touched all vital sectors. Some 330 programmes and initiatives have been approved to enhance the competitiveness of the national economy and finance sector. The UAE Cabinet issued 110 decisions to enhance security and safety levels and 100 policies and initiatives to improve the educational system, social welfare and the quality of health services. Regarding infrastructure, housing projects and environmental sustainability, the UAE Government issued 100 resolutions to strengthen and support these sectors in response to all requirements. Additionally, the UAE Government launched 90 policies and projects to enhance the readiness of the government sector. Also, the government launched 50 programmes and policies to enhance energy efficiency and food security and another 50 programmes and policies to improve the efficiency of the labour market and support national human resources. The UAE government currently provides more than 1,500 services through more than 180 smart platforms.

In addition, reliable government information is provided through 500 websites, and services are provided through more than 280 government service centres that follow the highest quality standards to provide the best customer experience. The wise vision of Sheikh Mohammed contributed remarkably to the UAE’s economic growth and prosperity. The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade recorded Dhs2.23 trillion in 2022, surpassing the trillion for the first time in history. Seventeen percent growth compared to 2021, supported by record growth in non-oil exports.

Several national strategies clearly reflected Sheikh Mohammed’s vision, such as the UAE Circular Economy Policy, the UAE's Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Strategy, and the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. UAE Achievements in Space Industry The UAE space sector received tremendous support from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. It was established more than ten years ago and is worth Dhs36b. The government was always keen to develop this sector, in line with its commitment to a knowledge-based and diversified economy.

The National Space Fund (NSF) was launched as an Dhs3b fund to enhance investments and facilitate the development of future space activities and projects. Today, the UAE owns 19 orbital satellites, ten new spacecraft under development, and more than 50 international and emerging space companies, institutions and facilities, in addition to five research centres for space sciences. The country has recorded outstanding achievements in the space industry within a short time. In February 2021, the UAE made history as the first Arab country to reach Mars and the fifth country in the world to achieve this feat. In October 2021, the UAE Space Agency announced the commencement of a new Emirati interplanetary mission, which involves an expedition to the orbit of Venus, followed by an exploration of the asteroid belt beyond Mars. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2028.

Also, the UAE launched a new Emirati project to explore the Moon. The lunar rover named Rashid is set to land on unexplored regions of the Moon by 2024. The UAE Astronaut Programme was launched in 2017 to develop a national team of astronauts that can achieve the country's aspirations in taking part in scientific and manned space exploration missions.

Hope Probe On July 20, 2020, the UAE launched the "Probe of Hope" to Mars in the first Arab space mission to explore planets. Over more than six years of work on the "Probe of Hope”, 200 qualified Emirati engineers and engineers participated in preparing for the seven-month journey, during which it covered a distance of 493 million kilometres before it organised in its orbit around Mars in the first quarter of 2021. It coincided with the UAE's celebration of its Golden Jubilee. The Mars mission cost about $200 million. Major Initiatives and Strategies The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed resulted in the launch of several government models. On 17th April, 2007, the UAE Government announced its strategy from 2008 to 2010.

The UAE government leadership programme was launched in 2008. More than 1,000 leaders have graduated from the programme in more than ten years. In 2009, the Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Programme was launched as the first integrated government excellence programme at the federal government level. The UAE Vision 2021 was launched in 2010. More than 36 national teams from 150 federal and local entities, private sector institutions and the community participated in the implementation of the vision.

The Emirates Programme for Excellence in Government Services was launched in March 2011 to achieve higher standards in client services by improving efficiency. In 2012, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme was launched to establish a unique learning environment in schools by introducing "Smart Classes,” under which students will utilise smart devices and high-speed 4G networks to acquire knowledge. Also, the same year witnessed the launch of the UAE Green Growth Strategy, a long-term national initiative to develop a green economy in the country.

The World Government Summit was established in 2013 as a global knowledge exchange platform for future governments under the dynamic leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. The UAE National Agenda 2021 was launched in 2014. Also, during the same year, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation was launched to provide a world-class, multifunctional space for testing, creating and spurring innovation locally, regionally, and internationally. In 2015, Sheikh Mohammed launched the Arab Reading Challenge, asking all students across the Arab world to read.

In 2016, the UAE Cabinet launched Government Accelerators as a new mechanism to boost the achievement of the National Agenda to achieve Vision 2021. In the same year, the UAE launched the Emirates Youth Councils, the Centre For the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Dubai Future Councils. In 2017, the UAE launched the UAE Government's Annual Meetings to unify all government entities at the federal and local levels to discuss current challenges, strategies and initiatives that would lead the country on the path to achieving the Centennial 2071 Plan.

Also, in the same year, the UAE Centennial 2071 was launched by Sheikh Mohammed as a long-term vision that represented a clear roadmap for government work to promote the UAE’s reputation and strengthen its leadership. The strategic partnership for government modernisation was launched in 2018 to accelerate government modernisation efforts and foster a culture of innovation. Also, the Government Experience Exchange Programme was launched in 2018 during the World Government Summit.

The Regulations Lab was launched in 2019 to develop and test solid legislation for emerging technologies. Also, in 2019, the Arab Government Excellence Award, was launched as the first and most significant award of its kind in the Arab world, celebrating successful government experiences and projects in the Arab world and honouring distinguished Arab government employees.

The UAE announced 2020 to be the year of preparation for the next 50 years, themed "2020: Towards the next 50.”

In 2021, the UAE hosted the Expo 2020 Dubai, which welcomed millions of visitors and became the most prominent global event after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the same year, the UAE Government launched a new methodology for government action. In 2022, the UAE launched the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements to strengthen international ties with other countries to build on the UAE’s position as a global trade and logistics hub.

Also, in 2022, the UAE launched the "We the UAE 2031” vision, which represents a national plan through which the country will continue its development path for the next ten years, focusing on social, economic, investment and development aspects.