ABU DHABI: The sisterly state of United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrated the 49th National Day on Wednesday.
Despite the challenges posed by coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in many parts of the world, the UAE succeeded in making major achievements across different sectors, as reported by Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The two sectors of space and energy come in the lead of strategic transformations after the launch of Al Amal probe and the announcement of the first Arab project for the exploration of the Moon.
This coincided with the official announcement that the UAE joined the nuclear energy club upon the start of operations at the nuclear reactor of the first station Baraka and commencement of production of environment-friendly electric power. In the meantime, new oil and gas fields were discovered.
The UAE converted COVID-19 challenge into an opportunity in which it enhanced its presence in the international arena through emergency medical assistance to more than 100 countries. Its successful handling of the pandemic constituted one of the world’s most prominent milestones by virtue of the number of infections, thereby surpassing all countries and become the first state to have made such an achievement.
Meanwhile, the UAE forged ahead with its message of tolerance, calling for transforming the region and the world into an arena of stability and co-existence. This approach culminated in the signing of the peace treaty with Israel known as the Abraham Accord. During 2020, the UAE consolidated its position among leading countries in exploring the space through the launch of Al Amal probe on 20 July, thus joining the seven members of Mars Explorers.
In September, it launched the first environment safety satellite, Muzun Sat, the 11th it launched in the past 20 years, and later launched Rashid probe, 100% homegrown in terms of design and construction.
This made the UAE the fourth country in the world that participates in exploring the moon for scientific purposes, after the United States, the defunct Soviet Union and China.
In October, the UAE unveiled a new satellite project, MBZ-Sat, the second biggest satellite developed and built by UAE engineers after Khalifasat.
Then, the UAE entered the age of production of electricity from nuclear power after the Emirates Nuclear Energy Establishment announced Nawah Energy Company’s success in concluding the stage that precedes the start of operation of the First Station nuclear reactor.
This was followed by the completion of a safe connection of the station with the State’s main electrical grid. Then, the first megawatt of environment-friendly electrical power began to be produced.
Thanks to this achievement, the UAE became the first Arab country and the 33rd globally to successfully develop nuclear power stations for the production of environment-friendly electricity.
The UAE also took the lead, for the fourth time in a row, among Middle East and North Africa, in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020 report, issued by World Competitiveness Center, Luzern, Switzerland. — ONA
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