UAE leaders herald 2020 as the preparation year for the next 50

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi heralded the year 2020 to be one of preparations for the next 50 years, official news agency WAM reported.

Hailed as “2020: Towards the next 50,” the next year be a hallmark period during which the national strategy for the coming 50 years on a federal and local level will be outlined, a statement said.

The country will celebrate its 50th anniversary of the formation of the federation in 2021.

The UAE approaches its Golden Jubilee in 2021, a new milestone that celebrates 50 years of our young country and begins the journey to the next 50 years. Preparations for our new journey start next year 2020. Together, we welcome 2020: Towards the next 50 pic.twitter.com/559sNkAGsR

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) December 14, 2019

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid instructed the formation of the two committees: The first committee is required to build a comprehensive development plan for the UAE and to develop an administrative framework to make UAE the most adaptable government. Additionally, it will outline UAE’s economic map and develop media frameworks that share the country’s legacy globally, the statement said.

The committee is also tasked with the growth of key sectors such as health, education, housing, transport and food security, the statement said.

I lived through the formation of the union in 1970 and I will oversee the formation of the next five decades in 2020. We established two committees to prepare a comprehensive 50-year development plan and oversee the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) December 14, 2019

The second committee has been tasked with developing a plan to organise events and activities to celebrate the country’s 50th anniversary in 2021, roping in the private sector as well as embassies across the UAE for the preparations. The committee will collate the country’s achievements since the federation and will preserve them for future generations.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was a participant in the February 1968 meeting where the then-Rulers of Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, first shared their intent to create a union, the statement said.

أطلقت وأخي محمد بن راشد أكبر استراتيجية وطنية للعام الجديد، ليكون عام 2020 #عام_الإستعداد_للخمسين.. عام سيشكل بإذن الله منعطفاً نوعياً في مسيرتنا المباركة .. نكتب فيه فصولا جديدة في محركاتنا الاقتصادية والمجتمعية والتنموية المتسارعة لنكون الأفضل عالمياً خلال خمسين عاما قادمة.

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) December 14, 2019

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s tweet read: “In the next fifty years … we prepare all sectors of the state for the post-oil phase, build a real knowledge economy based on innovation, creativity and modern science, and put our mark on the path of human civilization, and we build strong foundations for sustainable development for future generations.”