The UAE will mark the 17th Accession Anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, as Ruler of Dubai on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

Tributes were pouring in on the 17th Accession Anniversary, paying tribute to his vision to put Dubai on the global map and strengthen the emirate’s competitiveness among global cities.

Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai has vaulted from a regional to a global hub for trade, tourism, banking and finance, aviation and other key sectors.

In 2022, Dubai witnessed a number of new initiatives being approved by Sheikh Mohammed as well as many projects reaching their completion that were approved by His Highness in the previous year.

On numerous occasions, Sheikh Mohammed has dedicated the Accession Day anniversary to doing good. Last year, for example, he announced a Dh100 million project to search for 1,000 Arab pioneers in different fields.

Below is the list of initiatives approved and milestones that the UAE achieved under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed in 2022:

December 12

Sheikh Mohammed approved the second phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which consists of several projects under ten key initiatives, including Enhancing Urban Centres, Dubai Real Estate Strategy, Urban Farming Plan, Preserving Urban Heritage Plan, Developing the 20-Minute City Policy, and the Pedestrian Network Master Plan. His Highness also reviewed the progress of 17 projects and initiatives that were part of the initial phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

December 7

Sheikh Mohammed announced that the UAE’s foreign non-oil trade created another record in the first nine months of 2022, totalling over Dh1.6 trillion – a rise of 19 per cent compared to the same period in 2021. This came when the World Trade Organisation projected a 3.5 per cent decline in international trade in 2022. He also expectected the country’s foreign trade to grow to Dh2.2 trillion by end of 2022.

December 1

In an address to the UAE's citizens on National Day, Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE will continue to scale greater heights over the coming 50 years. He also highlighted empowering Emirati citizens, housing policies for nationals and numerous other initiatives announced for the locals.

November 27

His Highness approved the Dubai Countryside and Rural Areas Development Master Plan, spanning an area of 2,216 square kilometres.

The plan seeks to preserve the nature of areas like Lehbab, Margham, Al Marmoom, Al Lisaili, Al Faqaa and Al Aweer, and provide a variety of services and amenities to residents and visitors to enhance their well-being.

November 11

The UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 was launched to strengthen the position of the UAE as one of the best destinations in the world for tourism. "We approved UAE’s Tourism Strategy 2031. The UAE ranks among the top 10 global tourist destinations. Our goal is to boost our competitiveness by attracting Dh100 billion as additional tourism investments and welcome 40 million hotel guests in 2031,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

October 10

Chaired by Sheikh Mohammed, the UAE Cabinet approved the 2023-2026 budget with a total estimated expenditure of Dh252.3 billion and estimated revenues of Dh255.7 billion.

September 1

His Highness directed urgent aid worth Dh50 million to provide relief to those affected by the floods in Pakistan.

June 15

The Dubai Ruler directed the distribution of three million books across thousands of schools in the Arab world to promote reading. His Highness also inaugurated the Mohammed bin Rashid Library – a new cultural beacon in the region that is built with an investment of Dh1 billion to cultivate a culture of reading.

May 22

New major restructuring of the education system in the UAE was announced. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, named as the Minister of Education, was directed to review all legislation and policies.

April 27

His Highness announced the successful conclusion of the '1 Billion Meals' initiative as it achieved its goal of providing one billion meals to the disadvantaged and vulnerable in 50 countries.

April 18

Chaired by Sheikh Mohammed, the UAE Cabinet approved federal law on entry and residences of foreigners including the Golden Visa, Green Visa, 5-year multi-entry Tourist Visa, Job Exploration Visa, and Business Entry Visa.

March 17

The UAE Vice President ordered two emergency humanitarian relief flights to support civilians fleeing the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

February 28

The UAE Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed, adopted a housing loans budget of Dh12 billion for the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme during the coming years.

February 22

The Museum of the Future was inaugurated by His Highness this month. “It embodies the active human imagination and the Emiratis [that] will that continues to excel in the world,” Sheikh Mohammed said about the 77-metre-tall iconic architectural marvel.

February 17

Executive regulations were approved for the labour law, including work permits for students aged 15.

January 13

The iconic Infinity Bridge was opened by the Dubai Ruler in mid-January. “It is a new global engineering, artistic and architectural masterpiece. Our bridges go towards the future and our ambitions are endless,” he said.

In his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed approved legislation to create a new legal framework for Dubai Chambers and their boards of directors. Three specialised chambers were established to cater to new requirements resulting from the emergence of new economic sectors.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), extended his warmest congratulations to His Highness for the 17th Accession Anniversary.

“During this period, he has made Dubai one of the most prominent global cities and the best city to live and work. Dubai has become a key destination for investments regionally and globally, as well as a unique model for innovation, creativity, and development, and a benchmark for smart cities, by anticipating and shaping the future and implementing innovative, smart projects and initiatives,” he said.

Under his leadership, the UAE Government has ensured significant achievements and has become one of the most developed and efficient governments worldwide.

“We are guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the exceptional leader who doesn’t admit the impossible, accepts nothing but first place across all sectors, and tells us that in the race for excellence there is no finish line,” said Al Tayer.

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