President Sheikh Mohamed looks to 'brighter future together' in 2023

UAE leader hoped the year ahead will bring peace and happiness to all

President Sheikh Mohamed's new year message looked back at the achievements of 2022 and spoke of his hopes for 2023. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

President Sheikh Mohamed said 2023 will be a year when the UAE can build on its progress as a nation and look to a more prosperous future.

He hoped that the year ahead will bring peace and happiness to all.

“As we welcome the new year, we reflect with gratitude on how far we have come as a nation and renew our commitment to creating an even brighter future together,” Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter on Saturday.

“We pray that the year ahead brings peace and happiness to the people of the UAE, the region and the world.”

Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared a similar message and called for 2023 to bring “goodness and peace” across the world.

He said the UAE had “not stopped working for a single day” during 2022 to continue its development.

He promised the world “something more beautiful” to come in the year ahead.

Sheikh Mohammed shared a video charting the UAE's achievements this year, from its rise in the space sector to business growth and partnerships on the global stage.

President Sheikh Mohamed is featured in the video along with Sheikh Mohammed.

The past year has been a remarkable year for the UAE, stepping further to the future through breakthrough initiatives, Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter.

“We will embrace 2023 with a relentless spirit to achieve no less than the best.

“Happy new year to our country and our people. Happy new year to the Arab and Islamic peoples and all the peoples of the world,” he wrote.

“2023 is a year of goodness and peace, God willing, for everyone.”

Key moments in the UAE in 2022 — in pictures

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  The President, Sheikh Mohamed, addresses the UAE. The landmark speech in July set out his vision for the country. It came two months after the Supreme Council elected him President, following the death of Sheikh Khalifa. Photo: Presidential Court

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  The President, Sheikh Mohamed, with French President, Emmanuel Macron, at the Versailles Grand Trianon in Versailles, during Sheikh Mohamed's visit to France in July. It was his first official trip abroad as President. Photo: Presidential Court

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  Sheikh Mohamed attends a reception at the Army Museum in Paris during the trip. Photo: Presidential Court

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  The UAE made major changes to its visa rules this year. Wam

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  A new 60-day tourist visa was part of the overhaul. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg

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  The Museum of the Future opened on February 22 in Dubai. Photo: Dubai Future Foundation via Reuters

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  The museum, with its striking calligraphy-inscribed facade featuring quotes from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, represents a new type of architecture for Dubai. Kamran Jebreili / AP Photo

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  Shaun Killa, the architect of the museum, with a model of the museum at his offices in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  The museum envisions what the world might look like years from now. Ali Haider / EPA

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  Floods hit the UAE's east coast in July. An aerial photograph of Fujairah outlined the extent of the damage. Photo: Fujairah Media Office

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  Some residents were severely affected. Abdelbasit Hassan's home was flooded. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  The floods prompted a big relief response from authorities. Takatof, community service group volunteers, helped sweep the debris away after the waters receded in Fujairah. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  Another key event in 2022 was the effective end of Covid-19 rules. Signs were then removed across the country in malls, including Times Square Centre in Dubai, above. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The need for regular PCR tests, such as this drive-through centre in Rabdan, Abu Dhabi, has now been mostly dispensed with. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  Signs reminding people to wear a mask, such as this one at the Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, have been removed in most places. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  An Etihad Rail train passing through Abu Dhabi emirate. In 2022, we learned more about the planned passenger service, with Etihad Rail stating the first passenger station will be built in Fujairah. A launch date for the passenger service has not been announced. Photo: Etihad Rail

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  The Etihad Rail track. About 70 per cent of the line has been completed, the operator says. Victor Besa / The National

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  Construction of the Etihad Rail railway in Fujairah. The line will connect communities across the UAE. Photo: Etihad Rail