UAE & Saudi Reaffirm Joint Mission to Progress

The UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, and his Saudi counterpart, Turki Aldakhil, have penned a joint opinion piece in which they reaffirmed the determination of both countries to work hand-in-hand towards a "bright future" filled with economic stability and sustainable development.

The two diplomats said in the Op-ed that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are aware of the importance of having a vision for the future, "especially since some 70% of our people are in their prime, under the age of 35."

The Op-ed was written on the occasion of the upcoming Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council, which will be held in Abu Dhabi under the chairmanship of the Crown Princes of both countries.

Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and Turki Aldakhil said that when leading people, with millennials comprising two-thirds of the population, "one must be aware that this generation is connected with the world, and has technology as part of the making of its mind and formation of its intellect.

He continued: “this has led Saudi Arabia and the UAE to get involved in pioneering projects that look decades ahead into the future and try to contribute to the building and shaping of the future world."

They added, "The thinking of the future is clearly demonstrated in the statements of the presidents of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council; Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who are both thinking seriously, even going beyond thinking and into planning and executing investment projects, which will one day fill the vacuum left after the last barrel of oil is produced, whenever that day will be."

They further added that this harmonious way of thinking [between the leaderships of the two countries], their forward-thinking minds, and having a clear political, economic and developmental vision, which puts the well-being of citizens at the forefront of their objectives is what stimulates competitiveness in the two countries, pushing them to lead the indicators for effectiveness and achievement at the regional and international levels.

In conclusion, the ambassadors said that the council, which aims to achieve the goals of the two countries and their citizens, and support other brotherly nations and help them promote development in their own countries, "will at the same time not stand by to watch the schemes of chaos, extremist agendas, and plots tarnish the image of our true Islamic religion", which are a concern, a priority and responsibility of the two countries.

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