Marking the 49th UAE National Day

H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE president / Courtesy of Embassy of UAE

UAE Embassy in Korea contributed the article below on the occasion of the country's 49th National Day. ― ED.

On 2 December 2020, the UAE will celebrate the 49th anniversary of the union of the seven emirates. This occasion marks a sincere reflection of the federation's journey ― rich in monumental events and achievements ― building on the foundation that was first laid down by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his brothers, the fellow founding fathers. Today, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, follows in their footsteps, leading our nation on its journey towards the future.

Throughout the year 2020, the UAE has witnessed achievements in several fields at the national, regional and international levels. This year, the UAE continued with its ambitious national efforts, launching a peaceful nuclear power plant, the first of its kind in the region, as well as entering the global race to explore outer space by sending the first Arab and Islamic probe to Mars ― the "Hope Probe" ― making it one of the nine countries aspiring to explore this planet. The probe was launched on July 20, 2020, and is expected to reach Mars by the year 2021, coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates.

2020: The year of preparations for the next 50 years and designing the UAE's future

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE 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, announced 2020 to be the year of preparation for the next 50 years. The announcement marks the formulation of the largest national strategy of its kind to prepare for the next 50 years on both the federal and local levels. It also marks the preparations for the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2021, where citizens and residents, and government and private sector entities will take part in formulating life in the UAE for the next 50 years.

Upon the announcement of 2020 as the year of preparation for the next half-century, and the formation of the 50-year Development Plan Committee, taskforces started the work to build on the legacy of the founding fathers and the nation's achievements over the past 50 years.

The UAE fulfilled its goals by ranking first worldwide in 121 indicators, becoming the first among Arab countries in 479 indicators, and among the top five globally in 189 indicators. Today, the UAE is shaping a comprehensive development plan for the next 50 years starting from the UAE's Golden Jubilee in 2021 until the UAE's Centennial in 2071.

Courtesy of Embassy of UAE

The UAE takes the initiative to spread peace

Arab peoples have long been eager for a stable, functioning, and prosperous region. It is time for new approaches and thinking to set a new and better path for the future of the region.

From this perspective, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation signed the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement between the UAE and Israel on September 15, 2020, signaling a new page in relations between the two countries and promoting concerted efforts to enhance stability and security in our region.

The agreement is a historic achievement for the UAE, Israel and the U.S. and creates immediate and meaningful security, economic and social benefits. Indeed, the UAE and Israel are already collaborating closely to expand and intensify research and treatment of the coronavirus, and working groups are making progress on a range of bilateral cooperative initiatives across key sectors. These sectors include logistics, air links, tourism, cultural exchange, education, medical, scientific research, and telecommunications.

The UAE: a pioneer in humanitarian aid

Since its formation in 1971, the United Arab Emirates has delivered unconditional foreign assistance globally to support economic growth in developing countries and provide basic social services to communities in need to improve their quality of life.

The fundamental purpose of UAE foreign assistance is to reduce poverty, promote peace and prosperity, and foster mutually beneficial economic relations through expanding trade and investment ties with developing countries. At the same time, it focuses on specific segments of society with special attention to women and children during natural disasters and in conflict areas.

The UAE will increase humanitarian relief efforts in the years ahead to help people both close to home and across the world. The UAE has committed to devoting at least 15 percent of its total foreign aid to humanitarian purposes, which would make the UAE one of the most dedicated donors to humanitarian assistance.

The UAE believes that the most pressing threats to human development ― like global health and climate change ― can only be overcome through international cooperation. The UAE has consistently been one of the world's most generous donors relative to gross national income and has provided assistance to more than 175 countries. The International Humanitarian City serves as the UN's largest logistics and supply hub, and the UAE is serving as a critical partner of the World Health Organization and World Food Programme in the response to COVID-19.

Diplomacy: Between a New Reality and a Vision for the Future

The COVID-19 crisis imposed the need to adapt to a new reality in all areas, and thus a qualitative shift in the field of diplomacy and a review of future diplomacy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation adopted the latest methods of online communication within the framework of public and cultural diplomacy, hosting a number of ministers, officials, state ambassadors, foreign ambassadors and specialists during the Online Cultural Marathon Symposium, through a series of teleseminars broadcast on the Ministry's various social media channels.

The cultural marathon saw a series of weekly sessions on various topics from "Space Diplomacy" to "A Focused View of Latin America," "Lessons in Cultural Diplomacy from Nigeria," "UAE and Saudi Arabia, Cultural Unity and a Shared Destiny," as well as "UAE and Japan, Joint Efforts to Tackle Crises," "The Role of Embassies in the Future," and "Covid-19: How the crisis helped foster a culture of solidarity."
State embassies and missions abroad also held online cultural talks, including the virtual dialogue on the documentary series "The History of the UAE," hosted by the UAE Embassy to the United Kingdom.

Expo 2020 Dubai

Amidst the global crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed, as these are unprecedented times, and the health and safety of all Expo 2020 participants remains a top priority for the country. Many Expo participant countries were significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have therefore expressed a need to postpone the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai by one year, to help them overcome this challenge. The UAE supported this proposal in the Steering Committee meeting in a spirit of solidarity and unity.

Under the postponement, Expo 2020 will be held from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, which will allow all participants time to overcome the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and allow the World Expo to focus on the common desire to formulate new thinking to find solutions to some of the most pressing challenges.
The Expo will be the world's greatest show of human brilliance and achievement. It will be the first World Expo ever hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. Through our theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future" we aim to host a World Expo that inspires people by showcasing the best examples of collaboration, innovation and cooperation from around the world.

There will be more than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organizations, businesses and educational institutions. To date, more than 190 nations from across the world have confirmed their participation at Expo 2020.

A diversified economy to face future challenges

The UAE has adopted economic diversification as a priority in anticipation of future challenges facing the region and the world.

The country has been actively working to diversify its economy and has been witnessing notable developments and the expansion of numerous non-oil sectors, including media, ICT, tourism, renewable energy, manufacturing and commercial aviation.

Sustainability in the UAE is based on several vital sectors such as the economy and industry, which go hand in hand. The UAE Government's policy of diversification emphasized the need to develop non-oil sectors to create a more robust economy. In 1975, oil formed 58.4 percent of the economy. In 2018, oil formed 25.9 percent of the economy. As a percentage of GDP, oil will make up 20 percent by 2025, signaling a major reduction and turn to non-oil sector growth.

Legislation has been introduced to stimulate the creative sector and SMEs have been designed to enable innovators, "creatives," and small enterprises to flourish. These initiatives aim to allow existing firms to grow while encouraging emerging ones to operate in the UAE.

In the formulation and adoption of policies across their various spectra, the UAE Government takes into consideration different social variables in order to balance the economic and social aspects. The UAE Government is keen to ensure that such policies ultimately achieve social stability for all segments of society by studying all possible impacts in the short and long terms.