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Yearbook throws light on UAE 's achievements

ABU DHABI - The bygone year of 2002 was marked, within the UAE, by a renewed commitment on behalf of the government to build a stable, prosperous and safe environment, not just nationally but also on the world stage, Minister of Information and Culture Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said.

His observations came in a concise foreword to the UAE 2003 Year book, the eagerly awaited annual publication of the Ministry of Information and Culture, that was released recently.

In a reference to the developments at the local level, he noted that great attention has been paid to the youth, providing high quality, stimulating education and training - both academically and in the fields of sports and social affairs. He also stressed that in order to achieve the goals, it is essential to retain a strong economy and continue to enhance the infrastructure.

And as the book reports, we have made important progress in these fields, and continued to promote, among all our citizens, a sense of place, an appreciation for the country's heritage and pride in living here, he said.

Turning to the world stage, Shaikh Abdullah said the focus of attention was on supporting genuine peacemakers and playing a positive role in helping innocent civilians who had been caught up in conflict areas.

Referring to the efforts in this context, the UAE coming in for praise by the United Nations, he asserted that there is no room for complacency and asserted that the efforts are marked by determination to do whatever possible to counter the scourge of violence with practical help and diplomatic assistance.

Shaikh Abdullah noted that while the yearbook highlights the country's record of success, of which there have been many during the year, it also reports on projects that have encountered difficulties, economic challenges and social issues that cannot be ignored, as well as political problems that may remain unsolved.

Accurate, objective and regular chronicling of the UAE's development, such as that provided by the yearbook, plays a significant role in international communications, serving to present the profile of a rapidly growing nation, he remarked

Quoting the President, His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, that 'knowledge is the foundation for our future well-being,' he said that the book seeks to arm all those who have an involvement with the UAE, with knowledge deemed essential.

The 220-page volume, interspersed with pictures, deals in its broad scope with all fringes of the spectrum of development. The cover picture of the yearbook - desert horse and hunting falcon-by R.S. Ghayoor adds an absorbing element.

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