Where the trajectory of UAE’s progress is concerned, the future holds the key. And the leaders are very well aware of this factor, and base their plans for the next few decades around it.

Laying the groundwork for a sound and prosperous future for generations to follow, forms the cornerstone of the leadership’s philosophy. President His Highness Sheikh KhalifaBin Zayed Al Nahyan called on the people of the UAE to look to the future with optimism and contribute with ideas and visions that will help the country achieve further progress across all sectors.

On the occasion of the UAE’s 49th National Day, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa said that while the nation prepares to celebrate its Golden Jubilee in 2021, the nation’s sons and daughters should be ready to welcome the next 50 years with a future vision “that will prepare our country for more development across all sectors, so that by year 2071, the UAE will become the first in the world in global indicators for well-being, happiness and quality of life.”

“Looking to the future with optimism, anticipating its horizons, and pre-planning its paths is an authentic Emirati approach,” he added.

In line with this philosophy, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, chaired a government retreat on Tuesday, to draft a strategic framework for the country’s development vision for the next 50 years. The two-day meeting on Tuesday-Wednesday coincided with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee year 2021. Sheikh Mohammed said the year 2021 would be the year of breakthroughs and achievements for the UAE as it marks the 50th year of Union.

Sheikh Mohammed on his Twitter account said, “The future belongs to those who imagine, design and implement.”

The future requires proactive plans, innovative initiatives and new skills, to maintain our leadership and success and provide better lives for generations to come in the country, he added. The retreat aims to plan the country’s development process for the next 50 years, apart from harnessing the efforts, resources and capacities of all national authorities and sectors, to design new action models and plans that will make the UAE the best country in the world in terms of quality of life.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed ordered the formation of two committees reporting to the UAE Cabinet.

The first committee will be in charge of drafting a development action plan and will be headed by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs. The second committee will oversee the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations and will be headed by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The first committee seeks to make the UAE Government the fastest, most flexible and most adaptable to future developments, in addition to involving members of the community in designing the lives of people in the UAE in the next fifty years.

The year of preparations for the next 50 years also witnessed the announcement of a project, entitled, “Designing the Next 50 Years in the UAE,” by Sheikh Mohammed. The project comprises several interactive initiatives involving government authorities, private sector companies and members of the community.

Already energy plans have been mapped out for the future. As Suhail Bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the UAE, said last year, “By 2050, we plan to shift from 100 percent reliance on natural gas in 2017 to produce 50 per cent from green forms of energy.”