The UAE celebrates 51st National Day in Ghana in style

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Ghana has held its 51st National Day Celebration under the leadership of the Head of Mission Mr. Amer Alalawi in Accra.

The colourful event which was held at the Residence of the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana was attended by almost all the Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited in Ghana as well as officials and representatives of international organizations, the business community, traditional and political leaders in Ghana.

The 51st UAE National Day held on Thursday 1st December 2022 featured decoration of the UAE Residence with sight and scenes showcasing UAE’s iconic culture, infrastructure projects, investments in Ghana and achievements of the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) among others.

The Special Guests of Honour for National Day event was the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Honourable Alban S.K Bagbin and Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia.

Other senior government officials in attendance were the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, Prof Gyan Baffour, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Finance; Deputy Minister of Energy William Owuraku Aidoo; Deputy Ministers of Trade and Industry Honourable Dokua Asiamah-Adjei and Mr. Herbert Krapa; CEO of COCOBOD Joseph Boahen Aidoo among other senior government and corporate leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Amer Alalawi extended to the government and people of Ghana and the Diplomatic Community the well wishes and greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rasheed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the Leaders of the UAE.

Mr. Alalawi paid glowing tribute to the vision and foresight of the Founding Fathers of the UAE, narrating to the audience the history of the UAE to its present successes celebrating its 51st anniversary.

Mr. Amer described UAE’s relationship with Ghana as fruitful and distinguished. He revealed UAE-Ghana bilateral relations has accelerated since the official opening of the UAE Embassy in Ghana in April 2017 with numerous agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed covering various fields including Manpower, customs, trade protection and establishment of the Emirati-Ghanaian Business Council this year. Non-oil trade between the two nations hit over US$2.7Billion in 2021 with expectations of increase this year.

Mr. Alalawi reiterated UAE’s commitment to nurturing its relationship with Ghana with the recent presentation of 50 Ghaf Trees, a UAE National symbol to the government of Ghana among several initiative and goodwill gestures.

Mr. Alalawi highlighted UAE’s vision for the next 50 years after the country’s achievements of the past 51 years dubbed “The Principles of the 50” which will be the core guidelines for all institutions in the UAE to strengthen the union, build a sustainable economy and harness all possible resources to build a more prosperous society.

UAE’s 10 Principles of the 50

Mr. Amer Alalawi enumerated the 10 Principles of the 50 as follows:

The First Principle

UAE’s key national focus shall remain the strengthening of the union, its institutions, legislature, capabilities and finances. The development of the urban and rural economies throughout the nation is the fastest and most effective way to consolidate the union of the Emirate.

The Second Principle

UAE will strive over the upcoming period to build the best and most dynamic economy in the world. The economic development of the country is the supreme national interest, and all state institutions, in all fields and across different federal and local levels, shall bear the responsibility of building the best global economic environment and maintaining the gains achieved over the past 50 years.

The Third Principle

The Emirates’ foreign policy is a tool that aims to serve UAE’s higher national goals, the most important of which is the Emirates’ economic interests. The goal of our political approach is to serve the economy. And the goal of the economy is to provide a better life for the people of the Union.

The Fourth Principle

The main future driver for growth is human capital. Developing the educational system, recruiting talent, retaining specialists and continuously building skills will be key to ensuring the Emirates remains the most competitive national economy.

The Fifth Principle

UAE considers good-neighbourliness as the basis of stability. The geographical, social and cultural position of the country in its region is the first line of defence for its security, safety and its future development. Developing stable and positive political, economic and social relations with its neighbours is one of the most important priorities of the UAE’s foreign policy.

The Sixth Principle

Consolidating the reputation of the Emirates globally is a national mission for all institutions. The Emirates is one destination for business, tourism, industry, investment and cultural excellence. Our national institutions must unify their efforts, benefiting mutually from their shared capabilities, and work to build global enterprises under the umbrella of the Emirates.

The Seventh Principle

The digital, technical and scientific excellence of the Emirates will define its development and economic frontiers. The consolidation of its position as a global hub for talent, companies and investments in these sectors will make it a future global leader.

The Eighth Principle

The core value system in the Emirates shall remain based on openness and tolerance, the preservation of rights, the rule of justice and the law. We believe in the preservation of human dignity, the respect for cultural diversity, the strengthening of human fraternity, together with enduring respect for our national identity. The country will remain supportive, through its foreign policy, of all initiatives, pledges and international organisations that promote peace, openness and humanity.

The Ninth Principle

The Emirates’ foreign humanitarian aid is an essential part of its vision and moral duty towards less fortunate peoples. Our foreign humanitarian aid is not tied to religion, race, colour or culture. Political disagreement with any country should not justify failing to provide relief to that country in cases of disasters, emergencies and crises.

The Tenth Principle

Calling for peace, harmony, negotiations and dialogue to resolve all disputes is the basis of the Emirates’ foreign policy. Striving with regional partners and global friends to establish regional and global peace and stability is a fundamental driver of our foreign policy.

Ghana’s Message as UAE marks 51st Anniversary

In a speech read on behalf of the government of Ghana by Deputy Minister of Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, the government of Ghana congratulated His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his recent election to lead the UAE on the path of cooperation, national development and economic growth after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.