UAE on a mission to groom future leaders

Young Emiratis have been urged to become role models for their country.

In a major step to develop Emirati talent the UAE can count on, a unique programme to train and nurture local experts and specialists has been launched. Twenty outstanding Emiratis from various sectors have been hand-picked to be part of the debut batch of the 'National Expert Programme'. They will be groomed by ministers and high-ranking government officials in the next six months.
In an exclusive event held at the Founder's Memorial at the Abu Dhabi Corniche on Monday evening, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, urged young Emiratis to be role models for their country and be "credible and authentic".
The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan would have been proud to see that the UAE has produced "these exceptional young men and women who are going to lead in their own specialties", the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince said.
"Building human capital was the most important element of his life because he knew its worth. Today, we can be proud that we have Emirati experts in our country to train and mentor you."
In a motivational speech, Sheikh Mohamed recollected how as a child he had witnessed Sheikh Zayed relying on local human resources and "not foreign companies" to build the breakwaters on the corniche to prevent seawater from seeping onto the island.
"Some 30 or 40 years ago, the Founding Father asked Emiratis to help build the breakwaters and even gave them cars on the condition that they would collect and deposit the stones themselves. Instead of letting foreign companies make money, Sheikh Zayed used local human resources to solve the problem.
"What I would like to say is that the most precious thing we possess as a country is authenticity and credibility. And this credibility is achieved not through a contract signed by two parties with 10 people on each side. Our credibility is our word and the promise we keep so that others know we are going to keep it forever. This is the characteristic we want you to show off to the world."
The selected experts will undergo a six-month training programme that will have classroom-based learning, mentoring and shadowing, and planning and leadership.
The experts represent various sectors divided under four clusters: Economic and infrastructure development, environment, social development and security and international affairs. Government officials, including ministers, will mentor and groom the selected experts in their respective field to develop core competencies.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi