The UAE government brainstorming retreat, held upon the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, today witnessed several interactive and discussion sessions in the presence of ministers and senior officials from federal and local authorities.

Aimed at outlining the country’s developmental drive for the next fifty years, the retreat’s first day included 10 discussion sessions involving specialised government taskforces, on ways of boosting the UAE’s global competitiveness in vital sectors and the mechanisms for implementing the country’s priorities in the areas of trade, development, the media, infrastructure and advanced sciences. The sessions also addressed future developments and ways of generating proactive solutions to relevant challenges.

The participating ministers and federal and local officials discussed several ideas and future orientations aimed at drafting plans, strategies and projects for boosting the national economy’s competitiveness and creating a future-oriented economic model based on knowledge and innovation.

The participants also shared visions and ideas for designing a future business environment, encouraging entrepreneurship, foreign trade and partnerships, attracting investments, talent and skilled human resources, training national cadres to lead the future economy, and focus on key economic sectors, most notably digitisation, green growth & sustainable development, food security and productivity.

The participants addressed the challenges facing the UAE and global economy, future developments that will affect economic activities, and ways of creating proactive solutions to associated challenges.

They also discussed the deliverables of the national task forces formed by the committee in charge of planning for the next fifty years and presented several ideas by the members of the community who participated in the ‘Designing the Next 50’ project,” which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

The sessions discussed how to boost the country’s competitiveness in the health sector and ensure future healthcare and medical services, to prepare for related changes and developments.

The participants highlighted ways of reinforcing the health sector during times of crises, in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, by upgrading infrastructure, drafting scenarios to boost the capacities of health establishments, supporting national cadres in the medical and nursing sectors and attracting talented physicians, scholars and innovators from around the world.

The sessions discussed competitiveness and ways to boost the country’s competitiveness in areas of flexibility, adaptability, proactivity, leadership, tolerance, giving and innovation indexes.

The participants also discussed strengthening cultural values, national cohesion, patriotism and instilling a set of principles and values derived from the ideas and journey of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that focus on positive citizenship, tolerance, investing in human capital, and reinforcing the Union’s values, namely collective national and ecological responsibility.

The Government Action Taskforces discussed the required mechanisms to develop the scientific research sector, motivate academic and specialised participation, and ways of keeping abreast with the global changes and trends to develop the scientific and academic establishment methodologies. They also discussed building up and developing national capacities and providing them with the required skills for the labour market.

During the brainstorming sessions, the participants discussed ways of boosting the government’s partnership with the community to develop new ideas and visions about the next generation of government action.

During the discussions, the UAE Competitiveness Taskforce discussed boosting the country’s lead, enhancing its infrastructure and boosting its performance in global environmental sustainability indexes. The participants shared views and ideas to develop infrastructure, housing, energy, and digital transformation areas and explore new opportunities that support the country’s future orientations to boost food security and sustainability.

The Government Action Taskforce discussed ways of ensuring sustainable water and food supplies, being key pillars for comprehensive development, including enhancing local agricultural and livestock production, reducing food and water waste, and protecting natural resources and biodiversity.

The participants presented several national initiatives and plans that support the efforts aimed at enhancing infrastructure sectors and environmental sustainability in the country.

Under the same framework, the UAE Competitiveness Taskforce discussed ways of boosting the country’s lead in the areas of security and justice and developing a legal and legislative environment to face the changes.

The participants also addressed the role of the media in promoting the success story of the UAE and its soft power locally, regionally and globally.