The Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, unveiled the ‘Designing the Next 50’ project to include the public in framing the country’s future.
The program aims to integrate public participation to build the pillars of the UAE Centennial Plan 2071 to declare ‘2020: Towards the next 50’ a comprehensive development plan for the next fifty years after 2021.
The UAE Prime Minister says that with this project they aim to reestablish what their ancestors had taken up 50 years ago to shape this country. “Their mission made history and redefined the concept of modern society,” he added.
Further, the Prime Minister invited every citizen and resident of the country to join the mission to shape its future for the next five decades which leads to the ultimate aim of UAE’s Centennial.
The project will be administered by the 50-year development plan committee, chaired by Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The government will initiate a digital platform to pool ideas and suggestions from the public on ‘Designing the Next 50’ project in sectors like health, education, social development, economy, environment, tourism, investment, skill development, culture, sports, youth, food security, science advanced technologies and more.
Public and private sectors will employ methods like meetings, surveys and discussion sessions to collect their opinion. These feedbacks will be used in framing the future of vital sectors in the country namely education, health care, sustainability and advanced technologies.
Panel discussions will be conducted by bringing together UAE’s ministers along with members of the public representing various segments of the society in order to collect their ideas about the future of the country.
Various events and discussions will be hosted by collaborating with UAE’s national and global companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and entrepreneurs to highlight the role of the private sector in the mission. ‘Designing the Next 50’ project aims to shape the future of the private sector and enhance its global competitiveness across all sectors.
Youth circles will be conducted by partnering with the Ministry of Culture and Youth, to encourage discussions among the young generation and to guide their capabilities and aspirations towards the future.
The remote sessions will host young citizens and residents across the country to address the youth’s role in shaping the UAE Centennial Plan and encourage them to come up with futuristic ideas to design the country’s future.
Towards the next 50
‘Designing the Next 50’ aims to unify minds and visions to achieve innovation and establish partnerships towards a new phase of development in the UAE.
The mission’s activities and events are framed in an aim to make the UAE one of the world’s best countries to live in within the next five decades and to prepare the country for a post-oil era by developing a knowledge-based economy, investing in human capabilities, enhancing global competitiveness and driving sustainable development for future generations.
In December 2019, Sheikh Mohammed and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, announced that the year 2020 will be the year of preparations for the next 50 years.
The “2020: Towards the next 50” was initiated as the national strategy to prepare for the next five decades on the national and local level and organize the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2021.
