His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has rightly showered praise on the people of his country. In fact, it is very relevant and timely, particularly when Expo 2020 is round the corner and many Emirati volunteers will be showing their nation’s etiquette and hospitality to the millions of guests who will be gracing the event.

Sheikh Mohammed believes in empowering them as much as possible., because he knows his countrymen are a valuable font of talent, enterprise and innovation. “We constantly seek to invest in our human resources in a bid to empower them and engage them in our efforts to find innovative solutions to future challenges. The future belongs to those who pursue science and knowledge and master the skills necessary to excel and accomplish their goals.”

Sheikh Mohammed made these remarks while attending the graduation ceremony of the 7th and 8th batch of graduates of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) Masters programmes. Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, also attended the graduation ceremony.

The ceremony saw 285 students graduate from MBRSG’s Masters programmes in various disciplines including administration, innovation and public policy. A total of 86 candidates from the Ministry of Interior graduated from the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) programme.

The UAE is home to outstanding academic institutions that are capable of producing world-leading, globally competitive scientific breakthroughs and providing governments in the UAE and the region with pragmatic, forward-thinking solutions. It is here that the extent of his magnanimity of giving credit where it is due shines. “We will continue to support our scientific and academic institutes and invest in our Emirati people, our most valuable asset and our best bet for building a bright future for generations to come,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

His comments on the intrinsic worth of Emiratis are very noteworthy and worthy of quote.

“The UAE is confidently moving forward towards the future and has registered a host of inspiring achievements in record time. It has become a role model for progress and development, setting an example for many countries around the world.”

The UAE’s prestigious record is largely due to the Emiratis who have strived hard and sparkled in various fields, be it nuclear technology, political representation, academe, even space missions. But this would not have been possible without the leaders’ all-time support.

To illustrate the handiwork of the Emiratis. Recently, a team of Emirati entrepreneurs launched the first satellite to track wildlife in the UAE (Ghalib). Developed by Emirati company Marshall Intech, the satellite was successfully launched on SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The launch demonstrates the increasing role of young Emirati entrepreneurs in the UAE space industries and their contribution that enhances the country’s position as a leader in the region’s space sector.  Also, there is no match for the UAE when it comes to women’s empowerment and gender equality. A series of initiatives have been launched aimed at ensuring the readiness of Emirati women, in line with the slogan announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, “The Preparations for the Next Fifty Years.”

The UAE is ranked as a leading country in gender equality in the region, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Gender Gap report. The honour for Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, speaks volumes for her talent. She was earlier this year named one of Time’s 2021 list of the Next 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Her inclusion comes after successfully leading the UAE’s Hope Probe into Mars’ orbit in the first-ever Arab interplanetary mission.