Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid will on Sunday mark 20 years as Ruler of Dubai, having served as the architect of the emirate's remarkable rise on the global stage.
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, took up the task of leading Dubai on January 4, 2006, following the death of his brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid.
Under Sheikh Mohammed's leadership, the city has been transformed into a thriving urban metropolis that has cemented its status as an international hub for tourism, finance and emerging technology.
He has built on the firm foundations laid down by his father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, who first turned what was a small fishing town into a regional commercial centre.
Sheikh Mohammed had a front-row seat for his father's achievements and often accompanied him on key trips, such as to London in 1959 when Sheikh Rashid secured an agreement to build Dubai's first airfield. At the time, Dubai was still a British protectorate and Sheikh Mohammed only a boy.
Landmark successes
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, underlined the crucial role Sheikh Mohammed has played in writing Dubai's success story in a message honouring his father's 76th birthday in July.
“To the one who turned dreams into reality and reality into a legend told for generations,” he wrote on X.
During his 20 years as Dubai Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed has been pivotal to a number of towering achievements such as the opening of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, in 2010.
Other major projects such as Dubai Marina, Dubai Metro and shopping centres such as Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates have further elevated Dubai.
His guiding hand was crucial to Dubai's ability to stage a swift recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak, with the staging of Expo 2020 Dubai – delayed by a year due to the pandemic – symbolising efforts to lead the world back to normality.
Dubai's global standing was further demonstrated by its hosting of the Cop28 climate conference in 2023, when important progress was made in efforts to safeguard the planet.
Philanthropic mission
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with winners of the Arab Reading Challenge, at Dubai Opera. From left, Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt, Kadi bint Musaffar from Saudi Arabia, Hatem Al Tarkawi from Syria and Salsabil Sawalha from Palestine. All photos: Victor Besa / The National -
Salsabil, 17, from Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, dedicated her win to 'the children of Gaza' -
Rabbie Ahmed receives an award from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed -
Tunisian singer Latifa performs at the Arab Reading Challenge winners' ceremony -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, presents Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt with the award for Reading Champion in the People of Determination -
A young participant recites a verse from the holy Quran at the Arab Reading Challenge ceremony -
Young competitor Abdullah Al Qahtani from Saudi Arabia -
Sheikh Hamdan congratulates Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt -
Omar Al Sharif at the Arab Reading Challenge -
Visitors arrive for the event at Dubai Opera -
Joint winner Hatem Al Turkawi, aged 9, from Syria -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with winners of the Arab Reading Challenge -
Sulaiman Al Shammari at Arab Reading Challenge, with joint winner 11-year-old Kadi bint Musfir
Sheikh Mohammed's influence has also spread across the region and the world, helping to improve lives through various initiatives.
He established the Arab Reading Challenge in 2015 to encourage a love for reading, strengthen language skills and nurture young Arabs’ knowledge and character. More than 32 million students from 50 countries took part in 2025.
Sheikh Mohammed launched the Great Arab Minds award in January 2022, allocating Dh100 million ($27.2 million) to fund the initiative.
The award aims to “celebrate scientists, thinkers and innovators every year”. The winners’ contributions span various fields including medicine, natural sciences, economics, engineering, architecture and the arts.
Meanwhile, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives has provided billions of dirhams of aid to worthy causes and needy people around the world since its launch in 2015.
What does the future hold?
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attends the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Dubai Metro Blue Line. Wam -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said the Blue Line's first station would be an 'architectural icon'. Wam -
The Blue Line will extend 30km, bringing the total length of Dubai's railways to 131km and 78 stations. Wam -
The Blue Line is set to transform the north-east of Dubai. Wam -
Emaar Properties Station, which will be the highest metro station in the world. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
The Blue Line project. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
Emaar Properties Station. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
The expansion is part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which has easier commuting among its top priorities. Wam
Dubai's population last year crossed four million, a milestone moment that emphasised its status as a leading destination to live, work and do business.
The emirate is seeking to keep pace with its rapid expansion by investing heavily in its infrastructure, with a focus on transport.
Work is well under way on the Dubai Metro Blue Line, a project worth Dh18 billion, which will include 14 new stations and add 30km to the Metro network, with 15.5km underground.
Flying taxis are also set to take to the skies of Dubai this year. A successful vertical take-off and landing was completed in November by a piloted aircraft, operated in partnership with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and California-based Joby Aviation.
A jewel in the crown of Dubai's master plan will be the large-scale expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, which is gathering pace.
Once complete, the airport will have “the world's largest capacity”, reaching up to 260 million passengers, Sheikh Mohammed said on X.
It will be five times the size of Dubai International Airport, which is currently ranked the top globally for international passenger traffic.
