Life in UAE keeps getting better, global happiness report finds

UAE remains the happiest country in the Arab world and is now 14th worldwide in UN report. Silvia Razgova/The National

ABU DHABI // The UAE is an even happier place than it was last year.

It remains the happiest country in the Arab world and is now 14th worldwide, three places higher than last year, according to the UN-commissioned World Happiness Report published by the University of Columbia's Earth Institute.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the aim was to progress year by year.

"It's not surprising to achieve this, for Sheikh Khalifa, the President, is mostly concerned about the wellbeing and happiness of our people," Sheikh Mohammed said yesterday.

"Success is measured by achieving people's happiness and satisfaction, and all our projects and laws are there to serve this purpose."

He said the Government's role was to create the right environment and provide people with opportunities to reach their own personal levels of happiness.

"All development plans that we approved, all initiatives that we launched and all the government policies and laws have one common goal - achieving the happiness of our people," he said.

"What we have already achieved is only the first stage, which will be followed by more work and achievements in order to become one of the world's best countries, God willing."