His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has delivered the keynote speech of the 3rd edition of Government Summit 2015. The summit is being held under the title, "Shaping Future Governments".

Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, heads of international governments and organisations, a number of Sheikhs, officials, experts and representatives of more than 97 countries attended the event.

Sheikh Mohamed began his speech by thanking Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid who he described as "my brother, my friend and my mentor." He also extended condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia on the death of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
"The late King Abdullah was loved by the UAE people. He had strong fraternal relations with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan." He also praised King Salman bin Abdul Aziz as an excellent ruler and wished him success and the Saudi people further progress and prosperity.

On the future governments, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said every successful government treats its citizens as a national asset. He added that the state-building doesn't only depend on governments, but also on every citizen and resident on this blessed land.

He quoted a saying by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that "the new generation should be aware of the suffering of its ancestors. This awareness will provide them with drive, firmness and solidity in order to complete the epic of construction and development initiated by our fathers and ancestors." Sheikh Mohamed highlighted Sheikh Zayed's efforts and his keenness to harness available resources for serving citizens and showed a picture of the late leader with companions while looking for water sources and digging wells and water canals.

He also paid tributes to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who "continues to lead in the footsteps of our father Zayed, (and) he always directs us to develop human resources." He referred to Sheikh Khalifa's vision in establishing the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in the mid-seventies and how it evolved to become the second largest fund of its kind in the world.

Sheikh Mohamed also paid tribute to national personalities who played vital roles in the federation and in establishing ADIA, including Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi and Mohammed Al Habroush.

He underlined the importance of education in shaping the future and underlined the challenges in the education sector that need to be addressed through a clear vision for the next 25 years and a strategy for building future capabilities.

Sheikh Mohamed also referred to the UAE's pioneering industrial development and shined light on the experiment of Strata which manufactures aircraft parts for Boeing and Airbus and in which, Emirati women account for 83 percent of the labour force.

"I salute the Emirati women for their key role in community building. It is important that all energies of the community, be it of men or women, are invested properly. They should be supported, encouraged, empowered and given the opportunity to assume their national responsibilities," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed congratulated Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the Dubai International Airport becoming the world's busiest airport, handling 70 million passengers annually.

On the current drop in oil prices and its impact on the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said, "Thanks to the leadership's vision and its diversified economy, the UAE had avoided fluctuations in oil prices and is pressing ahead with its comprehensive development under all circumstances." Sheikh Mohamed noted that the achievements made by the UAE need to be protected in the light of challenges and crises sweeping the region.

"Since its inception, the UAE has been sending a message to the others that this region can still be a source of benevolence, peace and love for the whole world." Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also spoke about the UAE's contribution in humanitarian fields, not only through the government, but also by its citizens, residents and businessmen.

Sheikh Mohamed said the UAE citizens and the country's national unity were the most prime assets. He recalled a question asked by a journalist to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as to why he cared so much for his citizens, even to the point of over-indulging. Sheikh Zayed asked the journalist back: "Do you care for your children?" When the journalist said, "Of course, I do," Sheikh Zayed responded, "So do I. They are all my children. I do not over-indulge but I also do not deprive them." He said the western-educated Emiratis are normally obssessed with figures.

"Figures are important in our life but they are not important as our history and our roots, from which we draw the wisdom and value." Demonstrating the love of Emiratis for their country, Sheikh Mohamed recalled the time when volunteering was opened during the Kuwait crisis in the early nineties.

"Citizens in huge numbers, including old men, lined up to join military service. This shows how sons of Sheikh Zayed are capable of shouldering their responsibilities, and on this, I pray to Allah the Almighty to save Kuwait, its people and its Amir His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah." When the need arose for vehicles, he continued, Abdullah Al Masood, a businessman who owns a car dealership, said he was ready to provide any number of vehicles required.

"Speaking about Emirati businessmen, they gracefully financed projects in Egypt with amounts ranging between AED5 million to 25 million." Another shining example highlighted by Sheikh Mohamed was that of the Emirati youth who were exempt from compulsory military services due to their status, either for being the only child of their families or for medical reasons.

"They insisted to join their peers for nine months of service. Those who were exempted for medical reasons, refused to avail of sick leaves and opted to stay in their units," he said.

The third Government Summit is being held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments,’ and hosts more than 100 guest speakers from outside the UAE.

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