Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has unveiled a new “Fifty Year Charter” aimed at improving life in Dubai in 2019, with commitments to improve education, healthcare, philanthropy, self-sufficiency and the economy.
“This is a charter that represents our pledge and promise towards enhancing the life of people in Dubai in 2019,” Sheikh Mohammed said in a statement. “A new charter shall be launched on January 4 every year.”
The document – named to mark the anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed assuming his first official post, as head of the then-Dubai Defence Force – includes nine articles, which will be oversee by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The unveiling of the document came a day after Sheikh Mohammed announced eight guiding principles aimed at guiding future generations in Dubai.
“Our guidance to everyone is to act in accordance with this charter, and in accordance with the Eight Principles of Dubai document, which we have launched, to ensure continued prosperity,” the document says.
The first article is to ensure that Dubai becomes a key crossroad between East and West and North and South by buildings its “own Silk Road” in cooperation with its neighbours.
The second article is to develop “special, integrated” geo-economic zones in the city, each with their own economic and investment goals and councils to manage and market them.
The third article seeks to set up “the first commercial city in the region”.
According to the document, the city will “grant commercial licenses without having to reside in Dubai” and “allow investors to open bank accounts and grant e-residencies”.
Dubai’s government has a target of attracting 100,000 companies to the virtual city.
The next article calls for the establishment of a centralised education database for all citizens, in which academic degrees, classes, training courses and conferences attended will be recorded.
The fifth article aims to provide 24/7 medical consultations – facilitated by smart government applications’ – through a network of thousands of doctors, specialists and medical consultants.
The following article calls for the creation of free economic and creative zones in Dubai universities.
“We will announced our public and private universities as free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities, make these activities part of the education and graduation system, and shape integrated economic and creative zones around the universities,” the article notes.
The ultimate aim of these zones, according to the document, is to ensure that universities not only graduate students, but also help create companies and employers.
The seventh article calls for the establishment of a “comprehensive system” that allows for at least 10 percent of citizens’ homes to be self-sufficient when it comes to water, food and energy.
The eighth article is a long-term programme aimed at providing new sources of income for citizens, improve the quality of services through privatisation and establish cooperative companies in a number of sectors.
The last article aims at increasing philanthropic initiatives each year and growing them by, at least, an equal percentage of Dubai’s annual economic growth.
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