Sheikh Khalifa oversaw Dh40bn in development projects

Sheikh Khalifa guided the UAE towards huge achievements during his presidency

As President, Sheikh Khalifa oversaw years of progress and development. Photo: Wam

As UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa oversaw years of progress and development, including major advances in infrastructure, housing and marine policies.

From 2004 until his death last Friday, Sheikh Khalifa guided the UAE towards huge achievements, including about Dh40 billion in developments overseen by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, state news agency Wam reported.

In addition, Sheikh Khalifa expanded the country's ports, which encouraged a surge in container traffic.

Here are some of Sheikh Khalifa's achievements.

Infrastructure and housing

During Sheikh Khalifa's presidency, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure enacted projects worth more than Dh40bn, including the establishment, completion and upgrading of more than 230 public schools, the development of a world-class system of hospitals and 32 federal government health facilities, and the establishment of 24 fishing ports.

The ministry achieved considerable progress in terms of roads, with the total length of federal roads reaching more than 900 kilometres through the completion of more than 140 projects.

The total length of traffic lanes on federal roads grew to 4,300km over the past 18 years, linking the country's regions and cities.

More than 106 dams have been constructed and maintained over the past 20 years, with the capacity of the country’s dams and reservoirs increasing to more than 200 million cubic metres, strengthening its water security system, Wam reported.

And the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme has contributed to the stability of more than 33,838 Emirati families by providing housing support and establishing integrated residential districts.

Marine policies

The UAE also became a leader in several global competitiveness indicators in the maritime sector during Sheikh Khalifa's presidency.

Last year, for example, the UAE was re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in the B membership category for the third time, receiving international praise for its pivotal role in developing strategies, policies and agreements that enhance maritime safety standards, protect the marine environment and enhance the efficiency of global industry.

The UAE made huge strides within the marine sector locally, with a focus on catering to regional and global maritime needs in terms of providing the best infrastructure and top-class services.

The country's competencies have helped it gain the status as a key global maritime hub.

The sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product is Dh90bn annually.

The UAE's ports rank among the top 10 internationally in the volume of container handling and there are more 27,000 maritime companies in the UAE.

Its ports handled more than 19 million “20-foot equivalent units” in 2021, Wam said, and there were more than 25,000 port calls in the country during the same year.

The country's national fleet capacity stands at 21 million deadweight tonnage and the national fleet in 2020 consisted of 970 vessels.