Mohamed bin Zayed: The Deeds of the Noble-Born Are Just as Noble

“The deeds of the noble-born are just as noble,” is a rough translation of Arabic poetry written by the great Arab poet Al-Mutanabbi. It means that the descendants of men of nobility and virtue would also be noble and virtuous. These were the words I recalled when I read that His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, directed restructuring the Social Welfare Programme of low-income citizens and doubling its budget from AED 14 billion to AED 28 billion.

There is a scale more accurate than scales of gold and silver; it is that of knowledge and wisdom. The directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed are measured based on real-life affairs and developments, no matter how insignificant they may appear to some.

Such a holistic vision leaves nothing and no one behind. For example, everyone saw how His Highness made people’s safety a top priority during the pandemic when he said to them “Do not worry.” Citizens are always at the heart of this vision, and this testifies to His Highness’s firm conviction that people are the nation’s true wealth.

The current worldwide increase in prices of goods and services led to the devaluation of real income in most countries. In this state of affairs, the recent decision to restructure the Social Welfare Programme of low-income citizens came to show that promoting the citizens’ services and welfare is what matters the most to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the UAE.

His Highness’s countless people-oriented initiatives assert the fact that citizens are the pillar of this nation’s progress and status, thereby affirming His Highness’s direct involvement in the country’s current and future development. 

By shedding some light on the President’s social welfare initiative, we present to the world a shining example of how social welfare and quality of life -two aspects which the UAE strives to establish and promote for its citizens- can become part and parcel of inclusive development. The UAE presents a successful model of providing support to national households and low-income citizens, thereby fostering family stability and supporting the country’s development journey in which people are the primary focus. 

Based on the directives of the President of the UAE, the initiative was designed to provide fair and inclusive social support; its timing and implementation mechanisms have been carefully and meticulously studied to come up with an outcome in line with the country’s transparent policies, practical standards, and governance model. What matters most is that such initiatives are part of a clear vision and values inspired by the principles established by the late founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may God have mercy on his soul). It is a vision that was led and echoed across the nation by the empowering leader Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and then creatively developed by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed who always stressed the importance of developing a housing ecosystem and services to serve the citizens.

This is an important message founded on the directives of His Highness upon assuming his role as the President of the UAE. At the heart of this message is the priority of serving and empowering all citizens; a responsibility that will always have the support of the UAE’s visionary leaders.