Investing in young Emirati talents top govt priority, says Mohamed

Abu Dhabi / WAM

UAE citizens are proving every day that they are loyal, faithful and united in the service and glory of their homeland, affirmed His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, during a meeting with the board members of the Nation Fund and its sponsors, at Al Bahr Palace on Monday.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was briefed about the fund’s strategy towards 2020.
“We are all partners who have a duty to serve the interests of our dear homeland, though each has his own approach and ability,” His Highness Sheikh Mohamed said.
“Investment in the development of their skills and talents is a strategic priority of the state under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and also a responsibility of individuals, as well as the public and private companies,” he added.
“The Year of Giving, declared by the president, provides an opportunity through which we can all demonstrate our loyalty to our nation, our determination to follow the values of our forefathers in solidarity with all the spectrums of the community to elevate the nation’s standing, preserve its progress and prosperity, and secure the welfare of its people,” he stressed.
“The initiative opens up partnerships between the public and private sectors that strive to deliver the ambitions and aspirations of young Emirati professionals and engage them in the process of sustainable development, as well as in the emergence of a future economy driven by knowledge, research and development,” the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi remarked.
“We bless the efforts and initiatives by Emirati businessmen who have contributed to nurture future leaders and increase their participation in the process of development, building and prosperity of the nation and its generations to come. We urge all to emulate their experiment and engage with them,” HH concluded.
Led by Lt. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the fund launched several initiatives that advance the leadership’s vision for the post-oil era, building a sustainable knowledge-enabled economy and grooming a new generation of innovators. The fund provides AED30 million in support of applied research of strategic interest to the state and
creative entrepreneurs.
The fund also plans to launch a national programme to unlock the talents of young Emiratis by establishing a database of 5,000 young innovators by 2020 and an e-platform for career counselling and guidance, as well as professional training for school and university students. The initiatives are projected to increase Emirati graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by 10 percent.
So far, the fund has received donations worth more than AED300 million.