TelegraafM موقع إلكتروني إخباري يصدر من أمستردام
مقالات مشابهة
- H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Born in 1949
Appointed as Head of Dubai Police and Public Security on 1 November 1968
Appointed as Minister of Defence in December 1971
Served as the Crown Prince of Dubai from January 1995 to January 2006
Appointed as the Ruler of Dubai on 4 January 2006
Appointed as the Vice-President of the UAE on 5 January 2006
Appointed as the Prime Minister of the UAE on 11 February 2006
Early years
Sheikh Mohammed was born in 1949, being the third of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s four sons: Sheikh Maktoum, Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Ahmed.
Sheikh Mohammed enjoyed a happy and carefree early childhood in the Al Maktoum family home located at Al Shindagha.
His parents and his grandfather, late Sheikh Saeed, the then Ruler of Dubai, showered him with love and affection.
Sheikh Saeed used to hold his daily majlis on wooden benches near the entrance to their Shindagha home. These meetings were a good learning opportunity to Sheikh Mohammed who was very close to his grandfather and was often seen sitting beside him.
From an early age, he learned hunting and the noble Arabian sport of falconry. He also learned the basic skills of horsemanship from his father.
From the age of four, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In 1955, he began his formal education at Al Ahmadiya School, a small primary school in Deira.
At the age of 10, he moved to Al Shaab School and two years later he went to Dubai Secondary School. At the end of the academic year 1964-65, he passed exams in the main streams of the school’s curriculum.
On 9 September 1958, his grandfather, Sheikh Saeed passed away and his father, Sheikh Rashid became the Ruler of Dubai.
From October 1958, Sheikh Rashid began serious preparations for his sons’ future in government.
Sheikh Rashid believed that a man with a character such as that of Sheikh Mohammed would be best suited to manage the increasing external and internal security demands.
In August 1966, Sheikh Mohammed flew to the UK to enrol in the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge.
Because of its international reputation, the Bell School of Languages attracted a wide range of nationalities and cultures. Sheikh Mohammed used the opportunity to learn about many of his classmates and their countries.
Sheikh Mohammed threw himself into the vibrant Cambridge student literature scene and integrated himself fully into the student life.
To prepare further for his future role in Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed attended Mons Officer Cadet School – Aldershot, which is now part of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
During the latter stages of the six-month course, H. H. was promoted to Senior Under-Officer of Kohema and was later awarded the sword of honour for achieving the highest mark of any foreign and commonwealth officer cadet in his intake.
The governance journey of Sheikh Mohammed
When Sheikh Mohammed returned to Dubai in 1968, Sheikh Rashid appointed him as the Head of Dubai Police and Public Security. This was his first public position.
The Ruler also made Sheikh Mohammed his Minister of Defence; thus, he had become the world’s youngest defence minister.
On 18 October 1968, in a desert camp, late Sheikh Zayed, the then Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Rashid, the then Ruler of Dubai met to discuss forming a federation between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Sheikh Mohammed accompanied his father to that meeting, and he still remembers the very few words that initiated the establishment of the United Arab Emirates.
On 2 December 1971, the rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and the Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain, as representative of his father, met at Sheikh Rashid Palace in Jumeirah, Dubai where they signed the Interim Constitution that regulated the establishment of the United Arab Emirates.
Despite the fact that Sheikh Mohammed was the youngest defence minister in the world and in just less than twelve months, he cleverly and wisely tackled the serious responsibility assigned to him internally and abroad.
The UAE forces undertook its first international task on 1976, when Sheikh Mohammed ordered troops to Lebanon to join the Arab Deterrent Force for a peacekeeping mission
On 25 August 1977, Sheikh Rashid announced a formation of a committee, headed by Sheikh Mohammed, to manage Dubai Airport; consequently, developing Dubai as an international aviation hub and touristic attraction.
In this aspect, Sheikh Mohammed adopted the open skies policy and established the fundamentals of the touristic industry that boomed during the 90s.
During that period, Sheikh Mohammed handled Dubai’s oil file, and this was one of the most serious tasks in Dubai Government as oil export was the most significant economic pillar.
In 1985, Sheikh Mohammed took charge of Jebel Ali Free Zone; a port-based industrial area centred around Jebel Ali port.
Sheikh Mohammed’s majlis gained the same energy and pulse that characterised Sheikh Rashid’s majlis.
During crises such as the Invasion of Lebanon, the Iraqi-Iranian War and the Palestinian Intifada, Sheikh Mohammed continued helping Dubai Government in its march forward.
On 7 October 1990, Sheikh Rashid passed away. For Sheikh Mohammed and his brothers, there was hardly time to draw a breath before they were consumed by the urgent need to shape the UAE’s response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
The UAE’s armed forces were at the forefront of coalition efforts to liberate Kuwait, and within days of the end of the war, Sheikh Mohammed had ordered the dispatch of 250 tons of aid supplies, while the army rushed medical teams to Kuwait City to revive the devastated health service.
In addition, the UAE, under the directions from late Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed played a significant role in efforts to restore peace and provide humanitarian aids around the world, including in Bosnia, Somalia, and Kosovo.
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