Next year will be a year of creating jobs for Emiratis, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, declared.

Speaking ahead of the country’s 41^st National Day, Shaikh Mohammed told a cabinet session, held at Union House in Dubai on Tuesday, that ‘Emiratisation’ would be a national priority at all levels next year.

“We announce today from this place that the year 2013 will be a year of creating jobs for UAE nationals. This will be a national priority for which all efforts must unite.”

Shaikh Mohammed’s address included a whole host of initiatives for the improvement of the country and citizens, which he announced after invoking the memories of the founding fathers — who had decades earlier gathered at the same spot during the inception of the nation.

“We haven’t gathered here today to commemorate the memories. We are here to renew our resolve, to sharpen our energies and to recall the spirit of the big ambition that the founding fathers cherished. We are here to remember the great vision that led to the birth of a country, which could consolidate its global place during 41 years. It is with the same spirit and the same great ambition we can proceed with confidence and strength towards the future,” he told the gathered Cabinet Ministers.

Building human beings was more important than building edifices, as citizens were the most important priority, he said.

“The approach of my brother the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is that the citizen comes first, second and third. As we move further ahead according to this approach we say that the achievements of 2013 will surpass the achievements of 2012 and each year is better than the preceding one. So there is no place for laziness or reluctance in achieving the ambitions of our people. We announce today from this place that the year 2013 will be a year of creating jobs for UAE nationals, that will be a national priority for which all efforts must unite”.

The “spirit of the union” of the country was to work as a single, unified team, with defined goals and vision, towards achievement, he said.

“May I remind you of a very famous saying of our beloved father the late Shaikh Zayed who said: ‘The human being will perish, the wealth will perish, the nation and our services in the cause of the nation will remain’.”

Shaikh Mohammed made special mention of the aspects of importance to the country, which the initiatives announced were geared towards preserving and enhancing.

“We will support the Emirati youth, the Emirati products and the Emirati culture because the UAE is our pride and its citizens are the source of our glory.”

The Ruler of Dubai reserved special praise for the founder of the country and its first president, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

“Zayed is the source of giving and generosity. He is the one who planted the love of selfless giving among his people. The man who is credited with this surplus must be remembered on this day. The best way to remember him — May Allah bless his soul — is to remind of his compassion, giving and generosity which benefited all with no discrimination and which made the UAE as a global humanitarian hub for giving”.

news@khaleejtimes.com

Major decisions announced by the Federal Cabinet

• 2013 will be the Emiratisation year with a host of governmental initiatives and policies that will create more jobs for the UAE nationals.
• ‘Emirati Studies’ to be a compulsory subject in national and private universities.
• ‘Charter of Values and Conduct of the UAE National’ to raise a national generation who are aware of their responsibilities and duties towards the nation, family and community.
• Ministry of Public Works will build flag poles for the UAE flag in each of the emirates. These will be similar to those in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
• Every year Ramadan 19 will be observed as ‘Emirati Humanitarian Work Day’ in memory of UAE’s Founding Father late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
• A Union Museum will be built next to Union House in Dubai to document the history of the Union, its milestones and major figures for the coming generations.
• A national initiative under the name ‘Proudly Made in the UAE’ will be launched.
• Federal Government bodies and ministries will allocate 10 per cent of total purchases for SME projects set up by Emirati youths.