Uae To Focus On Developing Indigenous Skillsets

"Business as usual" is a mantra every Dubai entrepreneur seems to be chanting while the rest of the world suffers from slowdown and recession.

Stressing the importance of a vision for the future, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE defence minister General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the Emirates' recent announcement of a 55-billion-dirham (US $15 billion) fleet expansion deal was strategic.

The move, announced at a time when the aviation industry is on the downslide, is a "forward-looking decision", he said, outlining Dubai's vision for the next 10 years at the Dubai Strategy Forum held from November 12 to 14.

Speaking to an audience of business leaders and government officials, Sheikh Mohammed focused on building the competence and skills of UAE nationals as the core of Dubai's development strategy in the next decade.

According to reports in the Gulf dailies, Sheikh Mohammed said the broad objectives of Dubai's strategic plan for the next decade would include achieving greater self-reliance, transforming the society into a knowledge-based society and playing a more dynamic role in the global economy.

Outlining his vision for Dubai's future until 2010, Sheikh Mohammed set specific goals -- increasing the share of knowledge-based industries to 20 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and the production and services sectors to 70 per cent.

IT to power growth

Dubai Crown Prince and UAE defence minister General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum underlined that information technology (IT) should be the mainstay of Arab investment, particularly in terms of developing human resources, computer software, digital economy, free e-commerce and media.

Addressing a two-day Arab Businessmen and Investors Conference, Sheikh Mohammed highlighted Dubai's initiatives that have made it the region's cyber hub. In particular, he referred to Dubai's e-government portal www.dubai.ae offering most of Dubai Municipality services online and two other key technology projects - Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City.

"Another key element of Dubai's strategic development plan would be to involve the private sector in development," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed called for an initiative to train end-users of e-government services so that they could be provided faster and higher quality service and called upon government departments to facilitate greater involvement of junior staff in the activities of the department to increase their capabilities and skills.