Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chair of the UAE Space Agency, has credited the UAE’s success in adopting innovation and advanced technologies with maximizing the country’s soft power, which maintains the nation’s positive impact at regional and local levels.
She added that innovation has long been part of the UAE’s success story, part of a future-focused agenda that has consistently helped the nation achieve developmental milestones in the 50 years since its establishment. Innovation and a future-focus will also be core goals as the UAE charts a pioneering course towards the next 50.
The remarks came during Al Amiri’s participation in the Global Soft Power Summit 2022, which was held in London and organised by “Brand Finance” at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster. The event witnessed the announcement of the results of the Global Soft Power Index for the current year, in which the UAE ranked 10th globally and first regionally in “overall Influence” in Soft Power.
She participated in the first panel discussion of the Summit, entitled “The Role of Innovation in Developing Soft Power”, and was joined on the panel by Professor Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland, former vice president, European Investment Bank and Director of the School of Transnational Governance; Max Kantelia, the co-founder at the blockchain platform ZILLIQA; and Professor John Davis, Chair of Brand-New View, Academic, Former Dean and Professor of Marketing at SP Jain School of Global Management.
Al Amiri pointed out that over the past five decades, the UAE has built a positive reputation as a regional and international centre for economy, trade and business, in addition to its position as a logistics hub linking East with West. It has also become a leading destination for innovation and future sectors, as well as a global touristic destination.
Al Amiri also stressed that the UAE seeks to bolster its investment in tangible infrastructure and achieve further economic diversification so as to enhance the economy’s sustainability, drive competitiveness, and keep pace with emerging trends. She pointed to the tireless efforts made by the UAE, driven by the vision and directives of its leadership, to establish a strong scientific and research infrastructure that constitutes an added value in the science and technology sectors at local, regional and international levels.
She added that the UAE’s positive influence and soft power was the result of conscious planning, effort and determination. She touched on the historical achievement of the Emirates Mars Mission project to explore Mars and provide sound scientific observations of Mars, a project that has made a remarkable contribution to the enhancement of the UAE’s perception around the world.
Al Amiri said, “Achieving such feats does not imply avoiding challenges, but rather developing the ability to adapt to them and turn them into promising opportunities. If there is one aspect of soft power that the Emirates can truly call its own, it is a focus on the future. A nation of 195 nationalities, we play home to millions of people from around the world who work, learn, thrive and play in absolute security, safety, stability and an environment of tolerance and opportunity. Our startups are looking ahead to the future. Our researchers and scientists, our space systems engineers and our young dreamers, all have a renewed focus on the road ahead. Our leaders are constantly investing in, betting on, looking to the future.”
She added, “The Emirates’ next mission will be to investigate the asteroid belt – a task five times again more complex than our current assets. The private sector contribution to that mission will be significant – and will not only help to fund the development of our space sector, but give our young companies heritage to support their commercial operations globally. We are developing multiple points of capability, of space systems engineering, of research, of innovation in space.”
Al Amiri added that the UAE now aims to establish its advanced industries sector, enhance the research and science sectors, and inspire the youth to learn about these promising sectors, study and specialize in future fields. By doing so, they will contribute to strengthening the UAE’s presence in the fields of innovation, technology, advanced sciences and space, in addition to consolidating its international reputation among the countries most invested in science, technology and innovation.
Source: Emirates News Agency