Although a 50-year period is considered relatively short in the life of a country, the UAE proved time is not an important factor in a country’s development: Anwar Gargash

With an economy that has grown from $15 billion in 1975 to $430bn at present, the UAE – which recently celebrated its 50^th anniversary – proved that time is not a factor in the development of nations, said Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President.

“A few months ago, we celebrated the 50^th National Day of the UAE. It was a celebration of five decades and the achievement of a vision of an enlightened leadership that believed in the capabilities of the UAE and its people to achieve greater development, science, and knowledge,” said Gargash.

“Although a 50-year period is considered relatively short in the life of countries and peoples, the UAE has proven that the timeframe is not an important factor in the development of countries. During this period, we have been able to build a country with solid economic, political, and social foundations, which now plays a prominent role regionally and globally,” he continued.

Giving a lecture entitled Security and Stability in Our Changing World: A UAE Perspective at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, organised by Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, Gargash explored the UAE’s developmental model in light of ongoing global shifts, as well as ways to tackle current global challenges.

“Despite the great achievements, we must be fully aware that there are many challenges that we must deal with to maintain this success as this requires continued efforts, especially since we live in a changing world and a complex region. The secret of the UAE’s success lies in its ability to identify challenges, deal with them, and transform them into opportunities,” Gargash explained.

“The transformations and changes that the world is going through are interrelated and overlapping, and they will have varying negative or positive outcomes on various countries. These represent opportunities and broader prospects for development and growth.

“Therefore, the national interest will remain the main factor for our interaction with this global scene, as we enhance the UAE status and its political and economic weight through openness to transformations. All of this is intended to maximise our benefits and safeguard our national interests,” he added.

SOURCE: arabianbusiness.com