A virtual commercial zone, Silk Road in Dubai among new projects outlined by ruler

A collective of nine projects have been revealed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on Sunday as part of his ‘Fifty Year Charter’ initiative, which aims to improve life in Dubai.

A document detailing the nine programmes was released by Sheikh Mohammed on Twitter.

“It is an annual document that I have named ‘The Fifty Year Charter’ to mark my 50th anniversary of assuming my first official post in serving my country, and in the hope of another 50 years during which we will maintain a city governed by law and bound by the spirit of compassion, love harmony and tolerance,” the leader said.

The programmes outlined will help “improve the quality of life, develop the community of Dubai, and ensure the future of generations to come,” it said.

The initiative, which looks at projects such as the first virtual commercial district in the region and a doctor for every UAE citizen, will be renewed annually on January 4 each year, Sheikh Mohammed added.

He also emphasised that the document does not replace the government’s strategies, but features aspects for the future vision of the emirate.

On Saturday, Dubai’s ruler also shared the eight principles of governance that he urged ‘all those holding responsibilities in the emirate’ to follow.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed issues eight principles of governance in Dubai

Here are the nine programmes as detailed in the ‘Fifty Year Charter’ –

1. Dubai Silk Road

Dubai is destined to be a crossroad between East and West, and between North and South. We have the largest international airport in the world. It connects us with more than 200 cities. Over the next 10 years, more than one billion passengers will pass through our airports. Worldwide, we operate around 80 ports that are connected to hundreds of cities. Our next goal is to build our own Silk Road in cooperation with our friendly neighbours who share our vision. Our region has historically been a region of civilization and trade, and this role must be restored. We will seek to build an international cooperation to support these aspirations.

2. A geo-economic map for Dubai

In the coming phase we will work to develop a geo-economic map for the city of Dubai and set up specialised, integrated economic zones in the whole city. Each geo-economic sector in the city will have its own council, which manages and markets it. Each geographical sector will have its own economic and investment goals. We will monitor the achievement of these goals with transparency. A governor will be appointed for each economic zone to oversee the
achievement of its goals, as well as its progress and success.

3. First virtual commercial city

Dubai will lead the establishment of the first virtual commercial city in the region that grants commercial licences without having to reside in Dubai. The city will allow investors to open bank accounts and grant e-residencies according to best international laws and regulations. We aim to have 100,000 companies in the virtual city.

4. A central education file for every citizen

We aim to develop a centralised education database for every citizen to document all the academic degrees obtained, classes and training taken, and conferences attended. This will help us design customised educational plans for our citizens that suit their personal skills. We aim to build an educational and learning system that explores and develops people’s skills. Our goal for our citizens is to have a life-long learning so they
can continue to improve their skills and capacities to adapt to the rapid global changes in the world.

5. A doctor for every citizen

We aim to provide citizens with medical consultations 24/7 through hundreds of thousands of doctors, specialists and medical consultants across the globe. This will be facilitated by smart government application. Our goal is to transform the medical system to bring doctors closer to individuals, enhance awareness, and utilise top medical minds globally to serve the health of our citizens.

6. Free economic and creative zones in universities

Dubai’s foundation is rooted in trade. We will announce our public and private universities as free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities, make these activities part of the education and graduation system, and shape integrated economic and creative zones around the
universities. These zones will support students with education, research and funding during the launch of their projects. We want our universities to not only graduate students, but also create companies and employers.

7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes

We will develop an integrated programme to build a comprehensive system that allows at least a tenth of our citizens’ homes to be self-sufficient in terms of water, food and energy. The achievement of this goal will help change lifestyles and contribute to the preservation of our environment. We aim to create a new economic sector that supports energy, water and food self-sufficiency in the houses of Dubai, for at least a month, to be increased later.

8. Co-operative companies in various sectors

This is a long-term programme, that aims to provide new sources of income to our citizens, improve the quality of some services through privatisation, and establishing cooperative companies owned by citizens in a number of vital sectors.

9. Annual growth in philanthropy

Our daily businesses and projects should not let us forget about giving to those who need help. We pledge to increase philanthropic initiatives every year and grow them by at least an equal percentage of our annual economic growth. Charity is indeed a major factor in the happiness of societies and the
continuity of progress and prosperity.