6 Important Points from HH Sheikh Mohammed’s Open Letter to UAE Citizens and Residents
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in a social media post, shared a letter titled “New Season of Achievements” addressed to residents and citizens of the UAE.
In one of the six points highlighted in the letter, Sheikh Mohammed warned residents against spreading misinformation using social media with the sole intention of gaining followers online. The Ruler of Dubai stressed that “the reputation of the UAE is a red line and not to be used by anyone who wants to get more followers”.
Sheikh Mohammed Addresses UAE’s New Season of Achievements in a Letter to Citizens, Residents
Here are the six (6) key points which Sheikh Mohammed addressed in his open letter to his people:
- Officials should be on the field, not at conferences.
Sheikh Mohammed reminded ministers and officials, as well as ministers and leaders that their roles require them to be “on the field”, which puts them among students and teachers, and traders and investors in the markets. They are also expected to work closely with all sectors of society, citing farmers and fishermen, widows, mothers and senior citizens, patients, doctors, and health professionals in hospitals. It’s important for leaders to be seen among people and to gather observations on the ground, not in conference halls and the corners of forums. Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that the UAE is an achievement-based government that does not rely on lectures and speeches, but is “a team of achievers, and not a team of theorists.”
- Don’t malign the UAE’s image on social media.
Highlighting neglect and chaos on social media platforms affects the achievements that thousands of work teams have dedicated their greatest efforts to build. The reputation of the UAE is not for public use by those who seek to gain more followers. Sheikh Mohammed noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the official entity that manages the country’s foreign issues, speaks on behalf of the government and people, and represents the UAE’s political standpoints. As such, the ministry strives to abide by the leadership’s goal to maintain 48 years of long-standing credibility and good reputation that the UAE has established with countries and peoples across the world. It is, therefore, unacceptable that a number of online users taint the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that he established on the values of credibility, love and respect. Sheikh Mohammed noted that the image of the UAE and its citizens should remain as intact and bright as Sheikh Zayed had aspired it to be.
- Emiratisation remains to be the UAE’s top priority.
Complaints about Emiratisation has been one of the challenges being dealt with by the government, and Sheikh Mohammed has noted dissatisfaction from the public regarding the way authorities have been managing the issue. To this, the UAE leader reassured the public that they are monitoring the process in place. He also emphasized that providing job opportunities for citizens was and will remain a top priority, as is the case in countries of the East and the West. Sheikh Mohammed shared that starting the new season, authorities will take more serious actions in regard to Emiratisation and ensure regular follow-up and accountability. Furthermore, new directives will be issued in the coming months.
- More projects are needed to drive the UAE economy to the top.
Citing the UAE economy’s sustained progress and stable performance, as well as its competitiveness and foreign trade influence, Sheikh Mohammed pushed the bar even further by pointing out that the country does not rest on its laurels by settling with average indicators. He maintained that the nation is one that thrives to make economic leaps to save time. For the next few years, there will be a greater need for fundamental projects as well as exceptional ideas that will drive the economy to the top. Sheikh Mohammed pointed out that real estate projects must be adjusted in a manner and pace that would provide added value to the national economy, and not become a source of burden and imbalance to the UAE’s economic journey.
- Government Department must pay attention to the grievances of the Public.
Based on the ultimate goal of governments, which is to serve the people – the UAE has still much to improve on in this regard because there are still complaints coming from the public regarding live programmes and social media platforms. To this, Sheikh Mohammed called out those officials who do not find the courage to address public needs or even respond to concerns. He added that fearing to face the public is a sign of a weak and unconfident entity. Sheikh Mohammed urged those in leadership to respect any callers, to respond to their enquiries and dedicate efforts to solve their problems. Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that expanding the country’s resources is never as important as expanding people’s hearts.
- The Future is Bright
Finally, Sheikh Mohammed reminded every citizen and resident of the UAE to remain optimistic because the future is better, greater and more beautiful, citing that the nation is the best-prepared nation for the future, the most competitive in the region, the fastest growing in the number of projects and the most advanced in public administration. The UAE is the best in the adoption of future technology and most importantly, the UAE is a nation that holds the courage to face the facts, revise decisions and modify strategies on a regular basis to march towards the future at full speed.
With so much promise and hope placed on the future, Sheikh Mohammed urged the people of the nation to take part in nation-building and not to tarnish the good work that so many good people have put into building the UAE onto where it is today.
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