UAE has moved from the phase of establishment to the phase of empowerment and is preparing for the future, said its President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in his speech on the occasion of the country’s 47th National Day.
Sheikh Khalifa said that his country is moving ahead as planned in the “UAE Strategy for the Future” and the “UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” which outlined the UAE Vision 2071, a road map for the next five decades to complement the country's centennial anniversary.
The first signs of the future were reflected in the qualification of the first Emirati astronauts and launch of Khalifa Sat, the first Arab satellite, Sheikh Khalifa added, pointing out that these "achievements increase our confidence in the future of a homeland that is developed by our children and sons.”
He explained that the second of December is a historic and glorious occasion on which “we learn lessons, draw strength and recall the insightful lives of Founding Father late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.”
“On this great anniversary, we affirm that maintaining the spirit of unity will always remain our top strategic goal, which we strive to achieve through a coherent vision, specific objectives and comprehensive developmental and progressive policies.”
Sheikh Khalifa stressed that his country strongly supports Saudi Arabia against any threat to its unity, sovereignty, status or abuse of its leadership and people.
He pointed out that under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Kingdom represents the pillar of peace and stability in the Arab and Islamic worlds, noting that any harm to the Kingdom represents harm to the UAE.
He also confirmed his country’s support for Yemen and its legitimate government to restore hope to its citizens by working to end the Houthi coup, provide humanitarian and relief aid and reconstruct the liberated areas in an attempt to achieve security and stability in all Yemeni governorates.
He expressed UAE’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, explaining that is is the foundations on which the UAE's foreign policy was founded, affirming the absolute support for efforts to counter their security and undermine their unity.
"We are keen to diversify and expand our foreign relations in order to build a strong network of understandings and partnerships with major and developing countries to achieve our national interests and support our policies, initiatives and efforts in all fields," he added.