Plan, plan, plan: The three secrets to Dubai’s success

Failing to plan is planning to fail, goes the adage. As one of the most ambitious cities in the world, Dubai is blessed to have a visionary leader at its helm whose planning and commitment are second to none, and he never lets go of an opportunity to better the lives of his people for want of strategy or tactics. With the ‘Fifty-Year Charter’ that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, shared with citizens and residents on Sunday, he once again made it clear why the master strategist is ranked among the most visionary leaders of all times. Such powerful is his vision and planning that it transcends generations and is mindful of the needs and wants of all stakeholders. It offers not only a roadmap to a better future but also the tools to overcome the challenges that he foresees on that path ahead.

One look at Sheikh Mohammed’s Charter is enough to tell you that while it draws its inspiration from the glorious past, it leverages the people’s tenacity and today’s resources to fulfil the promise of a brilliant tomorrow. The Dubai Silk Road, the geoeconomic map of the emirate, the region’s first virtual commercial city… these are all masterstrokes that will help bring the dreams and aspirations of a generation to life. The next three articles — a centralised education database, a doctor on call for every citizen, and free economic and creative zones in universities — will be the springboard for the ambition of the next generation, enabling them to reach greater heights. The next two articles — self-sufficiency in homes and cooperatives to boost incomes of the locals — address the issues of self-reliance and self-determination, which will be a precondition for survival tomorrow. And the final article — philanthropy — is inspired by the very premise of Sheikh Mohammed’s vision: the continuity of progress and prosperity.