The degree of sensitivity, humaneness and compassion embodied by the leadership of the UAE, under the guidance of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, towards its people came to the fore once again via the incident of an elderly Emirati who, in a conversation with a radio host of an Arabic channel in Ajman, expressed his concern at the gap between the rising cost of living and his financial means, only to be treated dismissively by the programme host.

The uncalled for derision towards the citizen brought along its own rightful consequences for the radio host who was dismissed from his job, but beyond the retribution, what stood out is the alacrity of response by the leadership, which immediately extended not only emotional succour but also financial assistance to address the citizen’s needs, apart from also asking for a detailed study to be conducted on Emiratis with limited income.

This quality of leadership is in consonance with UAE’s founding principles that are underpinned by a deep, lasting commitment to its people, who are an integral part of the country’s success story and whose welfare is at the heart of everything the UAE does. The dynamics between people and their leaders is what defines the worth of a society. The ability to make room for its citizens to express their grievances, acknowledge them and then respond to them in a swift, empathic manner is what separates a role model society from the rest.

The UAE leadership’s ability to be so finely tuned in to its people’s needs and hopes that not even a single citizen’s voice goes unheard is the kind of exemplary governance that has earned it international respect as a nation that has seamlessly integrated policies with action and implementation.