Business and community leaders in the UAE have pledged their support to the UAE’s efforts in fighting coronavirus and said they are confident that the country will beat the pandemic and emerge stronger.

Their optimism was evident in the way they were responding to a statement on Saturday by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that the UAE will be the fastest country in the world to recover and the country’s institutions have proven the ability to adapt.

Fathi Ben Grira, CEO of financial firm, Menacorp and Vice-Chairman of Union Properties, said the way the UAE has handled the Covid-19 crisis has proven to the world that the country’s leadership is resilient, decisive and efficient.

“While some will be barely surviving because of the half measures they implemented, the UAE will be undoubtedly thriving in the near future, thanks to its ability to pivot and adapt to the new paradigm. The UAE used to be seen as a safe haven in the region: after this crisis, it’s now playing on a global stage,” said Grira, who is also the cChairman of the Tunisian Business Council, Dubai and Northern Emirates.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March, the UAE adopted an aggressive policy of social distancing, mass testing and phased resumption of economic operations to bring the Covid infections down.

The country has one of the highest per capita testing per million and the lowest death rates in the world.

Dr Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, said since the onset of the Covid–19 pandemic, the visionary Rulers of UAE have taken several steps to control it efficiently and to ensure smooth sailing of the economy.

“These steps helped UAE to tide over the crisis in spite of all the challenges. The present status is a good time to try to turn the crisis into an opportunity to strive for a sustainable future.”

“Efforts are on to make the UAE as one of best destinations for investment in the world. Aster DM Healthcare shall be in the forefront in the endeavour to fulfil the vision of Sheikh Mohammed for this oasis of peace and prosperity and to recover as early as possible in the post- Covid era.”

Ali Shabdar, Regional Director —- MEA, Zoho Corporation, said he is certain that the UAE will be amongst the first economies to make quick recovery from the pandemic.

“Participating in Gitex 2020, the biggest technology event of the region, we are delighted to witness live events which are back on track with full force. This is a testament that the UAE is on the fast track to recovery from the pandemic and most importantly ahead of all other countries.” He said Gitex is a testimony of Dubai’s determination for growth and reinforces its strong belief in a prosperous 2021.

Reflecting the same sentiment , Leena Parwani, Founder and CEO of LPH Financial Services, said the announcement made by Sheikh Mohammed reflects his faith in the UAE’s economy. “We expect the financial market of the country to play a major role in the country’s economic recovery post Covid-19. Our leader’s great visions give us the motivation to work hard to bring the business back to normal sooner than expected.

“UAE being the global hub for business, we expect more investments coming to this region post-pandemic and we as a part of UAE’s financial services industry sector will try our best to help industry leaders and investors to find the right path forward.”

Shahzad Ahmed, Chairman and CEO of Blue Ocean Group, said: “2020 has been a challenging year for all, but every challenge comes with an opportunity. UAE has proved that by securing one of the most leading innovations in the world’s smart cities market.

“As the Covid-19 pandemic reshapes our world, more consumers have begun leaning toward e-commerce and it has been a blessing for us. We expect these customers to stick with us for a long time even post-pandemic and help the economy grow. Many retailers have embraced online channels which reported to be stellar earners. I am glad to be a business owner in the UAE, a country with visionary leadership.”

Community leaders also lauded UAE’s resilience and said the country will recover because the UAE fought Covid as a collective responsibility.

“The government took community organisations and social workers in confidence and fought the battle jointly. Volunteer Initiatives like A Day for Dubai brought people together and everyone did their bit. That made a lot of difference,” said Ibrahim Khaleel, secretary of KMCC (Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre) Dubai, a voluntary organisation that was in the forefront of helping those affected with Covid.

 
 
 

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