Emirates: Fifteen years ago, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took on the mantle of head of the UAE Government. Under his leadership, the country has developed in leaps and bounds. Here's a look at some of the UAE's achievements since.

Government ranking
Excellence and competitiveness have transformed into an institutional culture in the UAE.
"We shifted 2,500 government services from traditional to smart, and the UAE government was ranked the second in the world in financial efficiency," said the Dubai Ruler. "We restructured the government several times to keep pace with the rapidly-changing world."
He added that the federal budget was doubled by 130 per cent and that the UAE rank the first globally in 121 indicators across various fields. "Our work is nowhere near the end," he said.

Passport strength
The UAE passport has become the most powerful in the world. The level of security and safety in the UAE surpassed 95 per cent, the highest in the world. "Our country is ranked the first globally in economic stability; the first in the rate of accredited hospitals; the first in easy access to electricity services; the first in mobile broadband speed; and the second globally in the adaptability to change," said Sheikh Mohammed.

Regional business leaders
"Our economy is the second biggest in the Arab world, and our country is ranked the first regionally in attracting foreign investment and facilitating business," noted the UAE Vice-President. "We are leading regionally in more than 437 global indicators, and our sovereign credit rating is the highest in the region."

Legal reforms
The UAE’s judicial system is the most efficient in the region, according to Sheikh Mohammed. "We carried out the biggest legislative reforms in our country by issuing more than 50 new laws to help us adapt to the future," he noted.

Investment in universities
The UAE Prime Minister also lauded the focus on academics in the country. "Our math and science education are the best in the region, and our Research and Development spending in universities exceeded Dh8 billion in 2020," he said.

Federal spending
Over the past few years, the UAE federal government invested Dh40 billion in housing, Dh140 billion in education, Dh94 billion in social development programmes and Dh50 billion in health and prevention.
"Our population’s average age is close to 80 and our country has ranked the third globally in physical health and the overall satisfaction in the healthcare services," said Sheikh Mohammed. "These are some of the indicators we have led, thanks to the relentless efforts of our federal and local teams over the past 15 years leading up to 2021."