(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the 'UAE Soft Power Council'. The council will define a "comprehensive strategy to reinforce the country's position and consolidate its values of respect and appreciation with governments and citizens across the world".
The UAE Soft Power Council will report directly to the UAE Cabinet and will introduce an integrated national strategy that consolidates the roles of both the public and private sectors in achieving soft power and conveying the nation's history in a new way. It will also develop a soft power strategy for the state in the fields of science, culture, technology, humanitarian and economic sectors in order to establish relationships at the grassroots level with partners in the Arab region and globally.
The council will review all legislation and policies that affect the UAE's status and reputation for the UAE Cabinet to review in the coming months.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the UAE has military and economic power and will now develop its soft power in order to "solidify its reputation". This, he said, will serve the interests of its people in the long term and help establish relationships across various sectors including economic, tourism and investment sectors.
"His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has succeeded in establishing a strong and unprecedented position for the UAE on a regional and global scale. We must build strong diplomatic relationships and systems in order to pursue his vision of making the UAE a global example of prestige and excellence," he said.
"The UAE holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people around the world - we want to build on that and elevate it. We have the economic and cultural components to achieve this swiftly.
"We have been celebrating milestones such as national days and cooperating on development initiatives with our brothers and sisters in the Gulf and Arab world. Now we want to develop a different strategy to introduce our culture and values to people across the world. We want to utilise new tools and methods in order to reach more people, and share our knowledge, culture and history with the world.
"The UAE Soft Power Council is a stepping stone to achieving this vision and promoting our country through successful public diplomacy to many people from various backgrounds," he said.
In a statement following the announcement of the establishment of the council, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed described it as a "profound vision for capitalising on our achievements while reaching out to the nations of the world".
"We are all ambassadors for the UAE, and we must double our efforts to maintain the image of our country and to promote our unique approach, values and aspirations," he said.
Powers and responsibilities of the council
> The UAE Soft Power Council will develop a general soft power strategy for the UAE to reinforce its reputation and status regionally and globally
> This strategy will help boost cooperation between public and private sector entities within the country through soft power initiatives and projects
> The council will submit reports periodically to the UAE Cabinet on the progress and implementation of the strategy
> The council will be an authoritative body, providing counsel on soft power initiatives
> It will protect and highlight the country's achievements
> It will highlight the UAE's ambition in the fields of science, culture, arts, tourism, trade and humanitarianism
> The council will develop tools to share the uniqueness of the vision of the leadership for the UAE to be the best country in the world.
MENAFN2904201700490000ID1095438316
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.