‘You have to be better than us – there is no option’ – UAE Centennial 2071 plan explained

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the ambitious UAE Centennial 2071 plan in 2017. It is a long-term government blueprint aimed at making the Emirates the best country by 2071 – the nation’s 100th anniversary.

The plan also seeks to drive the UAE’s diversification from oil, in addition to boosting other economic sectors and ramping up renewables to ensure a bright new future. The blueprint also focuses on investing in advanced education and enhancing social cohesion.

Long before the Emirates hosted the recently concluded COP28 Summit, which marked an ambitious decision for the international community to transition away from fossil fuels, UAE leaders were mapping out a path for its people without the need for oil.

ADOPTED: With an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels, The UAE Consensus is delivering a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies.#COP28 #UniteActDeliver #UAEConsensus pic.twitter.com/wmdta57peF

— COP28 UAE (@COP28_UAE) December 13, 2023

UAE Centennial 2071: Preparing UAE for the future

The UAE Centennial 2071 plan is based on four main pillars, including a future-focused government, excellent education, a diversified knowledge economy, and a happy and cohesive society. It focuses on strategies to prepare the Gulf state for future generations.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed had mentioned the long-term plan has been inspired by a talk given by President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in his previous capacity as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, which “charted a path and laid the foundation for the future of the UAE.”

Speaking at the first Mohamed bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations in March 2017, the President challenged the younger generation to do better and create an even more successful nation. “You are better than us, and you have to be better than us – there is no option.”

Need for new tools, skills in an ever-evolving environment

Education is seen as central to the plan, including the encouragement of future generations to embrace careers in science, technology and other fields such as artificial intelligence to inspire a new generation of Emirati inventors and scientists.

Today we launched the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy, the first project under UAE Centennial 2071 dedicated to building our future.

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 16, 2017

UAE authorities have already established Mohamed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence in the capital. These skills are expected to help diversify the country away from oil. But building Emirati values and ethics for future generations is also seen as crucial.

In 2017, Sheikh Mohammed – at the time of announcing the plan – underlined the world was “rapidly changing”. “We must plant the seeds today for future generations to grow and prosper tomorrow,” he had mentioned, highlighting the need for new tools, knowledge and skills.