His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, refuted claims that Dubai in particular had been affected, official news agency Wam reported.

Receiving the delegates — here at the invitation of the National Media Council — Shaikh Mohammed amplified that Dubai and Abu Dhabi had one economy: the UAE economy.

“We have turned most of our dreams into reality,” Shaikh Mohammed said. In example, he cited the record success of the Dubai Metro and the increase 
in the number of passengers coming into the UAE.

He noted the economy was growing and the nation looked forward to a future in which UAE’s civil nuclear energy project would play a significant role.

In the first 10 months of 2009 alone, seven million more passengers than the aggregate 2008 had arrived at the Dubai International Airport, he said. Last year, the point of entry recorded 37 million passengers.

He received the delegates at the Zaabeel Palace. Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh 
Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, were present.

Also present were Labour Minister and National Media Council Chairman Saqr Ghobash, a number of ministers and the editors-in-chief of local dailies.

The delegates, representing major newspapers and news agencies from 46 Arab and other countries, are here to be shown the UAE’s boom in political, economic, social and development fields.

They will also see projects to mark the 38^th National Day anniversary 
celebrations.