VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAD #0196 0401210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091209Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0269
INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000196 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON AE
SUBJECT: UAE: WE WILL BE AMONG "BEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD" BY 2021 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  On February 6, at the end of a three-day cabinet 
retreat in the western region of Abu Dhabi, the UAE government laid 
out its vision for the federation on its 50th anniversary in 2021. 
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MbR), Vice-President and 
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the UAE 
National Historic Charter for 2021, a blueprint for becoming "one 
of the best countries in the world".  The detailed four-part plan 
listed heritage, federalization, Emiratization and sustainable 
development as the pillars upon which the country will build its 
society and economy for the next 11 years.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) UAE government media agency WAM released the charter 
following MbR's announcement.  Details of the plan were widely 
reported in both English and Arabic media within the UAE and 
regionally.  An assistant to Minister of State Maitha Al Shamsi 
told POL Assistant the charter reflected the vision of President 
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with input from the leaders of each 
emirate.  Produced by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the charter 
addresses only Emirati citizens who account for approximately 15% 
of the UAE population. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) The ten-page, single-spaced document makes multiple 
references to Emiratis' moderate brand of Islam and asserts "Arabic 
will re-emerge as a dynamic and vibrant language, expressed 
everywhere in speech and writing as a living symbol of the nation's 
progressive Arab-Islamic values."  The charter also: encourages 
large families endowed with a sense of their Emirati heritage; 
emphasizes the federation as a cohesive unit and commits to high 
socio-economic standards across all seven emirates; calls for a 
knowledge-based entrepreneurial economy; and focuses on quality of 
life issues including healthy lifestyle choices and environmental 
protection. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) The charter's economic section highlights Emiratization --- 
a government effort to increase the percentage of Emiratis employed 
in the public and private sector --- as an entrepreneurial driving 
force and promotes the UAE's role as a leading regional business 
and transport hub.  By 2021, the UAE will become "one of the best 
places in the world to do business" by looking beyond traditional 
economic models and "adapting to changing global realities, such as 
the rise of new economic powerhouses." 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: The charter was likely intended as a follow-up to 
the 2007 UAE Federal Strategy, a three-year plan for modernizing 
government and society also announced by MbR in his role as Prime 
Minister.  Largely an internal exercise, the 2007 national strategy 
was billed as a radical reform of the UAE government in the areas 
of education, health, justice and government services.  Unlike the 
previous national strategy, the 2010 charter appears to have two 
audiences.  Taken literally, it is a blueprint for Emirati 
individuals, families, businesses and government ministries to 
build "one of the best countries in the world" by 2021.  The 
secondary audience --- the international business community --- is 
reminded the UAE remains an attractive place to invest where 
"progressive and moderate" Islam is an official government policy. 
OLSON