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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has said that as the country and the world face testing times during the coronavirus pandemic, the 44th anniversary of the UAE Armed Forces’ Unification Day comes as a reminder of this nation's "perseverance" and "ability to overcome challenges."
In a statement to the UAE's military journal, ‘Nation Shield,’ on the occasion, which is observed on 6th May every year, Sheikh Mohammed said, "Today, as we face unprecedented testing times - as is the entire world - the memory of the unification of our armed forces comes to strengthen our belief in our ability to move forward and in successfully overcoming this test."
He added that the day "shines a ray of light amidst the darkness we are experiencing," in reference to the pandemic.
Sheikh Mohammed has also affirmed that international cooperation has never been more needed, as the world is facing the COVID-19 crisis.
The statement in full is as follows:
Honourable sons and daughters of the nation,
Today, we remember the unification of our armed forces, and this year, we are marking the day during the holy month of Ramadan. It shines a ray of light amidst the darkness we are experiencing from the coronavirus; highlighting the good and giving in our homeland, and the good character of Emiratis, and their incomparable determination.
On this anniversary, we remember our Founding Fathers and their ability to conquer challenges, and reminisce on history of our armed forces, and its victorious track record since its unification on this day in 1976, by our father - the symbol of goodness, giving, building and achievement - the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Today, we remember our children, who have died in the battlefields and have risen as martyrs, with appreciation and gratitude.
This occasion holds a special place in my heart, not only because I have lived through the early process of the unification of our armed forces, participated in its growth, kept pace with its various stages of development, and its progresses, but also because I enjoyed watching the active role the armed forces played in our country and society, as well as its success in integrating the civil, economic, cultural and psychological aspects of our Emirati model.
Moreover, our armed forces have excelled in protecting our security, stability, sovereignty and independence, and strengthening Emirati identity. It also succeeded in creating national human resources, affirming the merit and efficiency of the sons and daughters of the UAE, and embodying the principles of self-reliance.
And today, as we face unprecedented testing times - as is the entire world - the memory of the unification of our armed forces comes to strengthen our belief in our ability and perseverance to move forward, and in successfully overcoming challenges and this particular test.
The unification of the UAE Armed Forces goes hand in hand with the unification of the seven Emirates and the establishment of the United Arab Emirates. The Union’s survival depended on the unification of its armed forces, which proved to all, both locally and internationally, that the Union does not regress, and that its leadership is determined to consolidate its rules, build it up, and move it forward.
Officers, soldiers and citizens,
Over the past centuries, this region has been plagued by various types of epidemics, that would suddenly emerge and disappear without people knowing their source and the reason for their end. In the first half of the twentieth century, cholera, the plague, and other diseases have claimed the lives of thousands of people in the region.
There were no doctors, no treatment, and no vaccines. Nonetheless, our ancestors confronted these epidemics with courage, solidarity and altruism, and they overcame their ordeals. They stood up and continued to endure the difficult environment and harsh climate, and built, lived and preserved this land.
And today, the sons and daughters of the Emirates have risen as their ancestors before them, to confront this epidemic that swept the whole world.
Our healthcare and security sectors have seamlessly integrated into a working unit that operates harmoniously; providing an exemplary model for comprehensiveness, effectiveness and discipline.
Today, I extend my thanks and appreciation to my brother His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his generosity and his wise leadership and management of the national effort made in the face of this pandemic.
Under the directives of His Highness to the Supreme Council for National Security and the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority, and with his relentless work on control measures, our country was able to control the spread of the virus, unlike what unfortunately happened in other countries, most of which are developed nations.
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