DUBAI — Despite many achievements, the work to transform the United Arab Emirates "is nowhere near the end," said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the prime minister and vice president of the UAE, on Monday.

In an open letter to the people of the UAE, marking the 15th anniversary of his rule, Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the major achievements that have transformed the UAE’s government work starting with the first federal strategy of 2007 to the announcement of the UAE Vision 2021 back in 2009.

In his letter, Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "We have established the principles of strategic planning in the government. Excellence and competitiveness have transformed into an institutional culture. We carried out the biggest legislative reform in our country by issuing more than 50 new laws to help us adapt to the future."

He added: "The UAE government was ranked the second in the world in financial efficiency. We restructured the government several times to keep pace with the rapidly-changing world. We doubled the federal budget by 130 percent and boosted our competitiveness to make the UAE rank the first globally in 121 indicators across various fields. Our work is nowhere near the end."

Recalling the major economic leaps reaped through efficient government performance, he said, "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. We are leading regionally in more than 437 global indicators, and our sovereign credit rating is the highest in the region."

On Jan. 4, 2006, Sheikh Mohammed became the Ruler of Dubai following the death of his elder brother Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. On Jan. 5, the members of the UAE Supreme Council elected Sheikh Mohammed as the vice president of the UAE.

On Feb. 11, 2006, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan nominated Sheikh Mohammed to become the Prime Minister of the UAE; the council approved this nomination.

Since then, Sheikh Mohammed has achieved great strides in the UAE’s government work, establishing an approach based on innovation and constant development. Through his futuristic vision, he has been leading an astounding development journey for the UAE, spearheaded primarily by young men and women who are empowered to innovate and actively take part in the country’s achievements.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s leadership is based on the main principle of investing in the human capital out of the belief that people are the basis of any nation’s success. Thanks to this vision, the UAE has been leading on regional and global fronts across many developmental fields.e together to achieve the vision adopted by the president of the UAE. — WAM