A few days back, the UAE suffered a huge loss when Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and #Ruler of Dubai, passed away.
Sheikh Maktoum was one the rare leaders who easily won the love and full confidence of his people, because he had within him all the noble traits of the legendary Arabian Knights. We all knew how modest, sincere, loving, tolerant, wise and far-sighted he always was.
Since he was a young man, Sheikh Maktoum proved his true mettle and consequently was put in charge of a vital issue, which changed the course of history in this part of the world. His first exposure to leadership was in 1958 when he delivered a public speech at the ceremony marking the accession of his father, the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. At that time, Sheikh Maktoum was only 15 years old. That occasion was a memorable event as it marked the beginning of the forging of the future of the emirate under the rule of the late Sheikh Rashid.
When Britain decided to withdraw completely from the Gulf, the governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi decided on a prompt course of action to push forward the proposed union between the two Emirates. The two sheikhdoms worked hard, day and night, over a six-week period, to solve all outstanding issues between them and reach an acceptable basis for their union. This was a time in which Sheikh Rashid relied heavily on Sheikh Maktoum, who became one of the leading political figures on the scene, travelling repeatedly to Abu Dhabi for consultations with the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and senior officials of his government.
On December 2, 1971, the United Arab Emirates was formally established. The federation process saw Sheikh Maktoum emerge as a leader of high standing, and this was reflected in subsequent events. In all the positions he held since then, Sheikh Maktoum proved to be a very responsible leader.
The late leader played a fundamental role in strengthening the Arab Emirates Union, solving all emerging problems and overcoming obstacles. As a Deputy Prime Minister, or as a Prime Minister, he followed up personally with the establishment of the institutions of the young country. In fact, it is impossible to pay tribute to Sheikh Maktoum without remembering that his years as a Crown Prince, and later on as a #Ruler were closely intertwined with the history of the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, throughout his life, Sheikh Maktoum was a witness and a key player in the development of Dubai and the UAE, as he strongly believed that maintaining and protecting the Union was actually much more difficult than establishing it.
Sheikh Maktoum’s generosity was not restricted by borders. Under his instructions, the UAE was always the first country to extend a helping hand to neighbours, to Arab, Islamic and other countries in their time of need and in the face of calamities and catastrophes.
The late Sheikh Maktoum was one of the great men who dedicated their life and efforts to building a modern state, based on a firm strategy of freedom, transparency, openness and free enterprise. His major concern was always his citizens. Under his wise guidance, Dubai raced ahead of time and succeeded in building state of the art infrastructure that impressed the whole world and was instrumental in turning Dubai, within a few decades, into a business paradise as well as an international financial, economic and tourist hub. Dubai was destined, under Sheikh Maktoum, to prove to the world that diversification of revenues was not an impossible task. This was achieved so successfully, that Dubai’s oil revenue at present constitutes less than one tenth of the Emirates total revenues.
Our only conciliation in our time of grief is that our late leader is succeeded by his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the new #Ruler of Dubai, who also assumed the positions of the United Arab Emirates Vice President and Prime Minister. We have full confidence that our new leader will continue the march towards a better future. We pledge HH Sheikh Mohammed our unfaltering allegiance and our loyalty to him and to our nation.