UAE leaders hail armed forces on 36th anniversary

The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has said that the country’s firm commitment to the development of its armed forces, by providing them with all that is needed to fulfil their responsibilities and perform their duties, is one of national priorities.

In a message on the occasion of the 36^th anniversary of the unification of the armed forces, the President emphasised his trust in the capabilities of the armed forces to embrace new technologies and most developed methods in their quest to remain at a high level of readiness and preparedness to assume responsibilities in the defence of the homeland and to protect its security and stability.

Shaikh Khalifa congratulated Their Highnesses Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates as well as all institutions and authorities and the people of the UAE over the great achievements of the armed forces.

In the message published by the Nation Shield (Dira Al Watan ) magazine, the President paid tribute to the first generation of military men who were instrumental in leading the march of the armed forces and laying the foundations for its stable growth and development.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, called on the armed forces to continue their noble role of protecting the gains of their motherland.

Shaikh Mohammed addressed the army as the men of chivalry, magnanimity, altruism and self-sacrifice. “Every new day dawns making you more adherent to the values of fidelity, loyalty, redemption, and more determined to perfection, success, and excellence,” Shaikh Mohammed said.

“The decision taken on May 6, 1976, personified the faith of the founding fathers in the importance of the Union and stressed their determination to consolidate it and enhance its architecture, thus discrediting the doubts of sceptics about our dreams of a powerful nation that faces the future with confidence, hope and optimism,” Shaikh Mohammed said, recalling the history of the unification.

“The awareness of the importance of unification and its inevitability was present and so was the political will, but the reality was abuzz with obstacles and challenges. The biggest challenge was the lack of national human resources to lead and manage the process of unification and the development and implementation of plans to build a national army conforming to the aspirations of our founding fathers and the needs of our homeland defence,” Shaikh Mohammed recalled.

“Thus it was necessary for the procedure of unification to follow a rhythm of preparation such as the empowerment of our national human resources in all grades and disciplines along with the completion of military infrastructure. Gradually our armed forces became the shield of our powerful nation through the highest degree of readiness and vigilance and preparedness to defend its independence and sovereignty,” Shaikh Mohammed added.

Congratulating the armed forces, Shaikh Mohammed said the Supreme Commander, His Highness President Shaikh Khalifa, had been following up their affairs out of his keenness to provide them with the latest weapons systems and other requirements to raise efficiency and to ensure their comfort and wellbeing.