In 2021, the UAE will be celebrating the nation’s 50th anniversary, and to welcome another 50 years, Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will dedicate 2020 to planning them.
In a statement about the UAE’s plans to develop and progress over the next 5 decades, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, "50 years ago, the founding fathers shaped our life today, and next year, we will shape the coming five decades for the future generations.” This year was the “Year of Tolerance” for the UAE, and the next will be “2020: Towards The Next 50” and over the year, the country hopes to nurture a knowledge based economy, as opposed to an oil based one.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s rulers have formed two new cabinet committees dedicated to the UAE’s 2020 goals. One of the committees will be led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan together with the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future Mohammed Al Gergawi, who will form a development strategy for the UAE’s next 50 years. The other committee will manage and organize the nation’s Golden Jubilee.
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan explained, "Today, we continue preparing and foreseeing the future and building a strong foundation to meet our goals with full confidence and persistence in a rapidly-changing world,” and according to him, 2020 will shadow 1970, when the UAE’s first ever 50 year plan was written. The UAE is a relatively new country, and up until 49 years ago, the country’s cities were sheikhdoms that associated with the British through a number of treaties, and were known as the Trucial States.
On the 18th of February in 1968, a meeting took place between Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum in which they agreed to form a federal union between the two emirates. Qatari and Bahraini emirates were also present in this historical meeting, amongst others.
The following week, on February 25th 1968, there was another meeting in Dubai, where representatives of the nine emirates, Sharjah, Umm al Quwain, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain, were present. However, the meeting concluded two days later, with no final agreement in place, with Bahrain, Qatar and Ras Al Khaimah withdrawing. 3 years later in 1971, on December 2nd, the UAE was formed as the six emirates united, and was formed, with Ras Al Khaimah joining the union in February 1972.
