on the first Emirati astronaut to go to the International Space Station
I’m honoured to congratulate HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and President of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, on this historic achievement. We are proud of Hazzaa AlMansoori, the first Emirati to be in space and the first Arab astronaut to go to the International Space Station (ISS).
Our wise leadership invests in Emirati men and women by providing a positive environment for their creativity and capabilities to achieve leadership and excellence. This follows in the footsteps of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, who believed in Emirati men and women and motivated them to excel in all areas. He pioneered the UAE’s interest in exploring space when he received US astronauts and members of the Apollo space programme in 1976.
This unprecedented achievement in the Arab World emphasises that the word ‘impossible’ is not present in the dictionary of Emiratis. We are reminded of the words of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who said, “They say the sky is the limit for ambition. We say: The sky is only the beginning.” This great achievement will inspire more Emirati young people to participate in space exploration missions and contribute to the UAE’s competitiveness in the space industry.
I congratulate the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre on this new milestone and commend their efforts in building a sustainable space science and advanced technology sector that contributes to establishing a knowledge-based economy in the UAE.