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In a speech that would not have been out of place at the Academy Awards, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and monarch of Dubai, praised the “sincere men” behind the scenes of his happy kingdom.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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,” he said.

“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 utilization of resources that are available to us.”