UAE: WE WILL BE AMONG "BEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD" BY 2021

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000196

SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON AE
SUBJECT: UAE: WE WILL BE AMONG "BEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD" BY 2021


1. (U) Summary. On February 6, at the end of a three-day cabinet
retreat in the western region of Abu Dhabi, the UAE government laid
out its vision for the federation on its 50th anniversary in 2021.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MbR),Vice-President and
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the UAE
National Historic Charter for 2021, a blueprint for becoming "one
of the best countries in the world". The detailed four-part plan
listed heritage, federalization, Emiratization and sustainable
development as the pillars upon which the country will build its
society and economy for the next 11 years. End Summary.




2. (U) UAE government media agency WAM released the charter
following MbR's announcement. Details of the plan were widely
reported in both English and Arabic media within the UAE and
regionally. An assistant to Minister of State Maitha Al Shamsi
told POL Assistant the charter reflected the vision of President
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with input from the leaders of each
emirate. Produced by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the charter
addresses only Emirati citizens who account for approximately 15%
of the UAE population.




3. (U) The ten-page, single-spaced document makes multiple
references to Emiratis' moderate brand of Islam and asserts "Arabic
will re-emerge as a dynamic and vibrant language, expressed
everywhere in speech and writing as a living symbol of the nation's
progressive Arab-Islamic values." The charter also: encourages
large families endowed with a sense of their Emirati heritage;
emphasizes the federation as a cohesive unit and commits to high
socio-economic standards across all seven emirates; calls for a
knowledge-based entrepreneurial economy; and focuses on quality of
life issues including healthy lifestyle choices and environmental
protection.




4. (U) The charter's economic section highlights Emiratization ---
a government effort to increase the percentage of Emiratis employed
in the public and private sector --- as an entrepreneurial driving
force and promotes the UAE's role as a leading regional business
and transport hub. By 2021, the UAE will become "one of the best
places in the world to do business" by looking beyond traditional
economic models and "adapting to changing global realities, such as
the rise of new economic powerhouses."




5. (SBU) Comment: The charter was likely intended as a follow-up to
the 2007 UAE Federal Strategy, a three-year plan for modernizing
government and society also announced by MbR in his role as Prime
Minister. Largely an internal exercise, the 2007 national strategy
was billed as a radical reform of the UAE government in the areas
of education, health, justice and government services. Unlike the
previous national strategy, the 2010 charter appears to have two
audiences. Taken literally, it is a blueprint for Emirati
individuals, families, businesses and government ministries to
build "one of the best countries in the world" by 2021. The
secondary audience --- the international business community --- is
reminded the UAE remains an attractive place to invest where
"progressive and moderate" Islam is an official government policy.
OLSON