UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday said that the country’s economy was “fine” and that the impact of the global crisis would not stop its plans for growth.
In an address to the nation prior to the 38th National Day on Wednesday, he stressed that “the leadership and the UAE people are confident to continue steadily and consistently the implementation of what have been adopted in terms of the strategies and plans”, news agency WAM reported.
In a statement to Nation Shield Magazine, he added that the top priority was to build national capacity and “launch human energy directed toward the horizons of excellence, innovation and competition”.
Sheikh Khalifa said: “We would like to assure everyone that our country is stronger and better off, since our economy is fine and our society enjoys welfare.
“The global financial crisis on its severity will not be a reason for hesitation or retreat, not a justification to lead us to a despair or inaction.”
He added: “We are grateful to God for endowing us with strong national economy and sound policies to overcome the most difficult stage of the crisis. The economic indicators of the growth in most sectors started to grow up gradually, beginning from the last quarter of this year.”
He said the UAE’s economic model would enable it to move “from the stage of gradual labour-intensive to a new stage, strong industry and the high-tech, capital-intensive, knowledge-based on advanced technology, environmental awareness to preserve the nation and protect the identity and increase availability of real jobs for our children”.
Talking about the importance of family, the president said that more initiatives must be put forward to “mobilise the national capacities of young people, upgrade their capabilities, prevent wastage, and immune them against the current cultural invasion”.
He sent his support to Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also the UAE’s vice president and prime ministerand the Council of Ministers, who, he said, “face every morning challenges, but plan and remove all obstacles to score achievements”.
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