On September 5th, 2021, the United Arab Emirates kicked off ‘Projects of the 50,’ a series of massive projects that will accelerate the nation’s growth over the next five decades. It is ultimately aimed at establishing the UAE as a global leader in several vital sectors, as well as the ideal destination for investors and travelers across the globe.
With only 50 years under its belt, the UAE has undeniably transformed at a rapid rate. In this short amount of time, the nation has been able to accomplish countless milestones in both regional and global history. This includes but is not limited to:
- The Burj Khalifa: The tallest building in both the UAE and the world.
- The Metro Red Line: The world’s longest driverless metro line.
- The World Government Summit: a global platform aimed at shaping the future of government worldwide.
- The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant: The first nuclear power plant in the Arab world.
- The Emirates Mars Mission: The first interplanetary mission launched by an Arab nation.
- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW): One of the world’s largest sustainability initiatives.
- Expo 2020 Dubai: The first World Expo in the Middle East and the biggest global event since the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Museum of the Future: The world’s most beautiful and innovative building.
Building on this momentum, government leaders have set out to establish the UAE as the best country in the world by its centennial in 2071. As part of this mission, the ‘Projects of the 50’ agenda will introduce a new era of economic development in terms of technology and innovation.
Just three months before the UAE’s 50th Anniversary, the first set of projects were unveiled by the Ruler of Dubai and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The announcement included the following initiatives:
New Visas & Work Permits
Under this initiative, the UAE has introduced the Green visa and the Federal Freelancers visa, as well as expanded the eligibility behind the Golden visa.
The Green visa allows highly-skilled individuals, investors, entrepreneurs, students and graduates to obtain self-residency and sponsor themselves.
The federal freelancers visa also enables self-employed workers in the UAE and beyond to sponsor themselves. It is the first of its kind and specifically geared towards workers in specialized areas such as Artificial Intelligence and digital currencies.
In addition, the Golden Visa has been expanded to include managers, CEOs, and experts in fields such as science, engineering, business and technology.
PyCon Summit
The UAE has stepped forward to host the PyCon Summit, soon to be the largest programming summit to ever take place in the MidEast. Set to launch in 2022, the summit will help train and develop digital talent, inspire new technology projects, and better connect the global community of programmers.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
Also known as UAE Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network aims to establish and grow 500 Emirati companies in the industrial sector.
As part of this initiative, 15 leading technology companies will work together to exchange and share knowledge, as well as train 100 CEOs on the latest digital trends. It will also make way for the UAE to adopt the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), the global standard used by the World Economic Forum.
Emirates Investment Summit
The Emirates Investment Summit will connect investment funds with the public and private sectors in order to create abundant investment opportunities. Formally announced as ‘Investopia,’ the inaugural summit will kick off later this month and bring together experts from around the world to present new ideas, create new opportunities and bring forth new investments.
Just one week later, the UAE released a second set of projects to be completed under the federal program known as “NAFIS.” This round consists of 13 initiatives that aim for Emiratis to hold 10% of the UAE’s private-sector jobs by 2025. Here’s a closer look at some of the upcoming projects underway:
The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council
The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council will launch a comprehensive strategy to create 75,000 jobs that encourage Emiratis to join the private sector. The Council will be led by the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.
The Emirati Salary Support Scheme
The Emirati Salary Support Scheme will provide incentives that help recruit Emirati graduates in the private sector, as well as fund their training costs. As part of this program, UAE nations will be offered one-year salary support of up to $8,000 dollars per month, followed by up to $5,000 per month in the next five years.
The Apprentice Programme
This Apprenticeship is designed as a train-to-hire program in order to train and prepare Emiratis to work in private and semi-government companies. This initiative was designed to provide young people with the skills and expertise they need to succeed and offers a wide range of financial awards to those enrolled.
Healthcare Development Programme
This educational grant seeks to employ 10,000 Emiratis in the healthcare sector by 2025. The development program will offer students the opportunity to enroll in a Graduate Healthcare Assistant Programme, a Higher Diploma in Emergency Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
Learn about the UAE’s latest ‘Projects of the 50’ initiatives here.