Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has addressed a personal message to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, praising the national spirit he has built and the safety and optimism he has instilled across the country.
The message, addressed to his ‘brother, friend and companion on life’s journey’, drew on themes of leadership, generational responsibility and the dangers of complacency. Sheikh Mohammed described the UAE President as a wise leader, a man of principle and a compassionate figure who has earned the respect of the world.
Sheikh Mohammed’s message to UAE President: key themes
A central passage in the message focused on the everyday experience of a child growing up in the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed described a young girl leaving home for school feeling safe, walking through orderly streets and growing up knowing her country has reached space and continues to aim higher.
‘Instilling confidence, security and optimism in the hearts of our children is your greatest achievement, my brother,’ the Dubai Ruler said.
Sheikh Mohammed argued that when children can dream with confidence and believe their future in the UAE will be bright, it reflects the fulfilment of the country’s leadership and its responsibility to future generations.
He highlighted the UAE President’s role in transforming education into a national priority, diversifying the economy into new sectors and future industries, and expanding the UAE’s global relationships. He also described the country as more resilient and better equipped to navigate whatever circumstances lie ahead.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed holds the position of President under the UAE’s constitutional framework, which places the President as one of the five federal authorities, alongside his role as Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Legacy of Sheikh Zayed and the trust of a nation
Several passages reflected on Sheikh Mohamed’s relationship with his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first President of the UAE and Father of the Nation, who served as president from the country’s formation on 2 December 1971 until his death in 2004.
Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE President had inherited a great nation from Sheikh Zayed but chose not to stand still or rest on what had already been built.
\p>He said history had taught him that civilisations do not decline by chance, but when they stop evolving and become content with past achievements. Sheikh Mohamed, he said, had understood the importance of investing in people and had taught young Emiratis that prosperity alone cannot preserve what previous generations built.
Sheikh Mohammed said the President had instilled in young people the understanding that what they inherited was not a reward but a trust: one they must protect, strengthen and pass on to the next generation.
‘Hearts unite around you, people move forward behind you, and you safeguard the nation’s borders. People rally around you as one heart, one hand and one vibrant national spirit,’ Sheikh Mohammed said.
He described Sheikh Mohamed as the embodiment of the UAE’s national spirit, a force that unites people and inspires future generations, and added that he and the UAE people stand with the President on this journey. ‘We bear witness that you are fulfilling it,’ Sheikh Mohammed said.
The relationship between the two leaders runs in both directions. In February 2024, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed awarded Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid the Order of Zayed, the UAE’s highest state honour, in recognition of his role in organising COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference hosted by the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed’s most recent strategic initiative, launched in July 2025, directed federal ministries to develop plans under the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision on more innovative and flexible foundations incorporating artificial intelligence and future technology.
The UAE President’s profile notes a sustained commitment to cultural, artistic and innovation-based initiatives, including sponsorship of poetry competitions, alongside his long record in defence and strategic planning.
