Dubai: The UAE has been ranked the 14th happiest country in the world, and was ranked first among the Arab countries in the second United Nations World Happiness Report.

In a statement issued Sunday on this occasion, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that ensuring the happiness of citizens has always been a priority in the framework of the founding fathers of the UAE.

Shaikh Mohammad said that such a framework and vision is one that is shared among all government sectors and institutions in all fields, and pointed out that such a framework dictates the policies and resolutions of all these bodies.

“The work and efforts of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has always been to make UAE citizens happy and ensuring that they enjoy a good life,” said Shaikh Mohammad.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the efforts of dedicated personnel and employees, and the coordination and integration between all federal and local government sectors.

“Making people happy and serving them better is our desire and goal. Their satisfaction is the criterion for our success in our duty. All the development plans and initiatives, as well as all policies and government laws, have been launched and approved with one goal in mind: the happiness of our citizens. What we have achieved in the previous period is but a phase that will be followed by more work and achievements to ensure that we are one of the best in the world,” added Shaikh Mohammad.

“A country cannot develop without the happiness and satisfaction of the people. The happiness of one individual is the beginning of a stable, content and productive society, and that is why international organisations specialising in development began reviewing genuine criteria for governmental success, and are now beginning to focus more on the satisfaction and happiness level of a population, which is considered the key factor for achieving sustainable development.

“During the previous Government Summit, we instructed all government bodies to base their resolutions and policies on one goal: the happiness of society. It is true that happiness and satisfaction is something that is within every person, but it is the duty of the government to provide a good life for its citizens, to make their life easier, and provide them with opportunities to work towards their own happiness.

All this requires more efforts to draw up and implement policies to ensure justice and security, caring for the weaker segments, and developing the infrastructure, and more. This cannot be achieved without capable work teams and putting in place clear plans to achieve these objectives. It also requires the ideal utilisation of resources that are available to us.

“We always work to serve the nation and for the happiness of our citizens, and investing all that we have to develop capable human resources that can achieve success. My message to all UAE citizens is this: Be optimistic because in the past we have overcome many challenges, the present is filled with achievements, and the future is promising and built on ambitions.”