Dubai: The UAE will win the war on extremism by holding onto Emirati values as a way of life, Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said during the World Government Summit in Dubai on Monday.
In a wide-ranging talk during his main address on the ‘Nation’s Sustainability’, he said: “Today, we are in a war against hatred, sectarianism and terrorism. We will be winners by holding on to our values and ethics and turning them into a way of life.”
Attending the address was His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and other shaikhs and dignitaries.
Shaikh Saif stressed that the UAE’s humanitarian projects in Afghanistan and other countries will continue. Last month, five Emiratis were martyred in a terror attack in Afghanistan, where they were carrying out humanitarian, educational and developmental programmes.
“We will combat terrorism to the last breath. Our humanitarian aid will always be delivered to the needy in the farthest corners of the world.”
Shaikh Saif also said “Emirati values and ethics are also reflected by our brothers on the front lines who are giving their lives for the nation’s sustainability”.
He explained that Emirati ethics, as exemplified by UAE’s founder, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, are based on Islam — referring to moral education. They are also rooted in the “majlis of the elders”, referring to seeking knowledge from the wise. The third main pillar is Emirati heritage.
Shaikh Saif also introduced on stage Emiratis he praised as role models, such as Esmail Mohammad Abdullah, a former member of the UAE Armed Forces who sustained a disability in a traffic accident. Abdullah now works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was vetted by mystery customers who confirmed his dedication to professionalism and helpful disposition, Shaikh Saif said.
“The more hurdles he was subjected to, the more he solved them. In one case, the ‘customer’ said he cannot pay the fees. Abdullah offered the fees himself. These are the values and ethics,” Shaikh Saif said.
Three-month reviews
Shaikh Saif also said 2017 will see the beginning of a new system of review of office-bearers, including ministers. Instead of a performance review every five or three years only, they will be reviewed every three months. “With the speed of UAE’s development, we are not riding a fast train, we are riding an airplane,” he said.
He also said the UAE has more than 5,000 secret shoppers who monitor the performance of all public entities to ensure excellence.
Referring to the UAE leadership, Shaikh Saif said: “I have no doubt that among us are men who are making history.” He also praised the worker who is loyal to his or her job, the trader who is ethical in business dealings, and the mother who instils and understands that education based on ethics supersedes education per se.
The annual WGS this year is featuring 4,000 participants and 150 speakers from 138 countries. Around 114 sessions are being held in a packed three-day agenda. The event ends on Tuesday at the Madinat Jumeirah Resort in Dubai.
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