UAE: Meet the five Emiratis making global contributions

The five winners were awarded the 'Pride of the Emirates' medal for representing UAE globally

By Sherouk Zakaria

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Photo: SKGEP website
Photo: SKGEP website

Published: Thu 3 Mar 2022, 8:57 PM

Five exceptional Emiratis were awarded the “Pride of the Emirates” medal as part of the 6th edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Government Excellence Award on Thursday for representing the UAE globally with their outstanding contributions.

The winners are improving people’s lives globally through their contributions in different fields.


Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Born in 1979, Razan Al Mubarak is a global leader and advocate for nature who has spearheaded progressive environmental protection and species conservation for over 20 years.

On September 8, 2021, Al Mubarak became the first woman from the West Asia region to be elected IUCN president for a four-year term in the organization’s 72-year history and the first Arab president since 1978. She holds several titles including the Managing Director of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Managing Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund – a philanthropy providing grant that has supported 2,250 projects to protect endangered species in more than 180 countries - and the Managing Director of Emirates Nature –WWF— a UAE-based affiliate of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).


During her tenure at EAD, she has overseen the successful breeding of captive Scimitar-horned oryx in Abu Dhabi, which is listed as Extinct in the Wild, as well as established and managed protected areas across more than 15 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s terrestrial and marine territory.

In 2018, the World Economic Forum selected her as one of the top 100 Young Global Leaders for her contribution to building a more sustainable future for humankind.

Major-General Dr Ahmed Nasser Ahmed AlRaisi, President of Interpol

With more than four decades of experience in law enforcement, AlRaisi, inspector-general at the Ministry of Interior, played a pivotal role in advancing policing technologies and digitising government services in the UAE.

As an expert in policing, digital transformation, and international anti-crime coordination, AlRaisi contributed to the development of the UAE’s integrated security system and the roll-out of iris and facial recognition technology — efforts that helped make the UAE one of the safest countries in the world.

As a member of the Interpol Executive Committee, he worked with the Interpol president and secretary-general to support the modernisation of Interpol’s structures and procedures, and the development of a strategy for the future of Interpol to respond and adapt to new trends in criminal activities.

Through his tenure as the president of Interpol, a position he has been holding since November 2021, Al Raisi told Khaleej Times that he aims to share the UAE’s pioneering experience in security, which made it one of the safest countries in the​ world, and use his extensive experience to lead the organisation’s digital transformation. Combating the rising cybercrime globally will also be among his priorities.

“I will focus on diversifying the expertise and competencies within the Interpol during my four-year term to benefit from talents across the continents to make the world a safer place,” said AlRaisi.

Dr Ali AlBlooshi, orthopaedic surgeon who uses robotics and artificial intelligence

Dr Ali AlBlooshi, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, has been conducting critical reconstructive surgeries using robotics and artificial intelligence.

In addition to his work at Mediclinic City Hospital, AlBlooshi is the founder of Orthocure Medical Centre and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UAE University. Speaking to Khaleej Times, he said the use of robotics increased the accuracy, efficiency, and speed of bone surgeries.

“In January 2021, we brought the latest advanced robotics before many countries in Europe, Korea, and Japan. The medal is a motivation to be first in everything in the UAE, especially AI adoption.”

AlBlooshi said he conducted 1,000 surgeries using smart robotics. “This is the future of medicine.”

AlBlooshi obtained a bachelor's degree in Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and undertook his orthopedic residency programme at the University of Toronto.

He took clinical fellowships at both Mount Sinai Hospital and St. Michael Hospital focusing on adult lower extremity joint reconstruction, revision hip and knee arthroplasty and hip and knee computer assisted surgery. During this time, he co-authored publications on hip and knee arthroplasty and bearing surfaces used in hip replacement. Subsequently, he completed an MBA in hospital management in the United States.

Fatima Al Mulla, Emirati researcher and teaching assistant at University College London

Holder of PhD in Biochemical Engineering and Industrial Process Leadership from University College London, Fatima Al Mulla actively contributed to the global fight against Covid-19.

Through her research project, Al Mulla worked to develop a plasmid DNA vaccine that is safer and more efficient than viral vaccines. She spent more than 113 hours volunteering as a nursing assistant at a hospital in London when Covid-19 first broke out in the UK.

“I always had the passion of representing my country with humanitarian work and voluntary services since our leaders are our first inspiration in this aspect,” said Al Mulla.

Currently a teaching assistant at the University College London, Al Mulla told Khaleej Times she is working to develop a vaccine like AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

“UAE has a futuristic vision after the pandemic to produce vaccines and increase domestic production of local medicines. Though the UAE imports drugs, we are developing ourselves in this sector,” said Al Mulla.

Dr Mansoor Al Awar, Chairman of the Governing Board of Unesco Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE)

Dr Mansoor Al Awar is the Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) and Chairman of the Governing Board of Unesco Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) since 2017.

He is also the Board Member of the Higher Education and Scientific Research Co-ordination Council since 2014.

Dr Al Awar has made significant achievements throughout his professional life. He founded the first Total Quality Management (TQM) Department at Dubai Police. He was the first Director of Quality and the first Chairman of Dubai Quality Group in 2001. He founded the Emirates Business Women Award in 2002, the Public Opinion Survey Centre in 2001, and HBMSU (formerly known as e-TQM College) in 2002.

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Dr Al Awar founded the Excellence in Leadership Award in the Arab world in 2005, Juran Chair in 2004, the Virtual Executive Club in 2003, and the Media Quality Award in 2004.

He is an Honorary Visiting Fellow in Organization and Information Management at University of Bradford; a member of International Academy for Quality (IQA); and a Certified International Assessor for European Foundation of Total Quality Management (EFQM).

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com


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