Sharjah has seen great progress since His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, assumed the reins of power in the emirate on January 25, 1972, with rapid steps towards the future.

With clear strategic visions and a specific road map, until comprehensive achievements were achieved in His Highness’s journey, which exceeded 52 years, in various vital sectors that would enhance the prosperity of the state in general and Sharjah in particular. A journey whose lines were written by His Highness with the wisdom of an enlightened ruler, and with an exceptional personality with a sense of humanity and cultural awareness. He is the developer of modern Sharjah, a supporter of culture in all its forms, a guardian of heritage, and a lover of theatre. 

His Highness also endorsed the creation of a spontaneous developmental renaissance in Sharjah by providing support and aid to attain prosperity and consolidate social justice. His approach was based on building people and providing job opportunities and a decent living.

Providing opportunities

His Highness made substantial efforts to provide opportunities that support cultural interaction and dialogue among the peoples of the world. This led to progression in the fields of history, science, knowledge, culture, sociology, tourism, and humanitarian work. His Highness worked to increase national awareness, participation, and social responsibility. He led Sharjah to be a pioneer in many sectors, fulfilling objectives, one after another in all development fields. The emirate has become an icon of progress and development, a pioneer of innovation and excellence, and a symbol of urbanization and prosperity, which has made it a leading destination for investment in the region and the world for those looking for a balanced family lifestyle. It is a beacon of culture, science and knowledge in whose footsteps peoples follow and societies are inspired.

Sharjah enjoys the care and attention of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, as His Highness gave a lot to his homeland and gained the love of the people of the country who sensed the generosity of a caring father that made it his responsibility to provide the highest standards of living for citizens.

His Highness is also informed of the smallest details of his sons, the citizens and takes a personal interest in managing their affairs to ensure that they have a better life. He listens through the “Direct Line” program from Sharjah Radio to their appeals and, then finds solutions through swift decisions to solve their problems.

The projects launched by His Highness in all the cities of Sharjah were not hastily planned. In fact, His Highness meticulously outlined their features years ago, ensuring their impact on various fields. These projects included the construction of housing, universities, roads, restoration of archaeological sites, and the establishment of natural reserves. Moreover, His Highness focused on enhancing the natural beauty of roads, beaches, squares, and parks with lush gardens.

Additionally, commercial facilities and markets were reconstructed under His Highness's keen interest. The primary goal of these projects was to support the development of cities in the eastern region, cater to the needs of the people and visitors, and bridge the gap between workplaces and residential areas for the sake of family stability. Furthermore, these projects aimed to stimulate unique tourism investments, which in turn would contribute to the growth of the tourism sector and the overall economic development in those regions.

A scented biography

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi was born on July 2, 1939, in the city of Sharjah. He was raised with a strong sense of patriotism and developed a passion for science, knowledge, and the history of his homeland. His educational journey took him to various institutions in Sharjah, Kuwait, and Egypt, where he pursued his studies. His Highness commenced his public education in September 1948 at Al Islah Qasimia School. Prior to that, His Highness studied the Holy Qur’an, and in 1954, he joined a private English school to study the English language. He continued his preparatory and secondary education in Sharjah and Kuwait. Subsequently, he pursued university studies at the Faculty of Agriculture at Cairo University. His Highness taught English and mathematics at the Sharjah Industrial School for two years from 1961 to 1963. He then assumed the position of municipality president in 1969.

Upon his return to Sharjah after completing university studies in 1971, His Highness took charge of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office. He became the Minister of Education after the formation of the Council of Ministers on December 9, 1971, following the establishment of the Union. On January 25, 1972, He ascended the throne as the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and became a member of the Supreme Council of the Union. His Highness is considered the eighth ruler from the Al-Qawasim dynasty, which dates back to the year 1600 AD. 

Strategic vision

The budget approved by His Highness for the year 2023 for the emirate, with total expenditures of 32.2 billion dirhams, aims to achieve the emirate’s strategic vision for economic and social development and enhance financial sustainability.

Developing people

Educating, qualifying and providing people with job opportunities and a decent living represents the essence of the first five decades of the era of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, who directed that the emirate’s capabilities and capacities be utilized for the benefit of its citizens in their various places, so that the cities of Sharjah and its regions become cultural monuments, whose residents enjoy security and safety, renaissance and urbanization. Benefiting from advanced infrastructure and thriving developmental projects which contributed to building a society that enjoys all the elements of happiness and stability. As the general approach of His Highness’s project was to overcome the difficulties facing citizens. In this regard, the total amount spent by the Sharjah Debt Settlement Committee in the last period amounted to one billion and 127 million and 134 thousand and 153 dirhams. With 2,212 citizens benefiting from it. The value of the assistance provided by Al Diwan Al Amiri in Sharjah and its affiliated offices in Khorfakan, Kalba, Dibba Al-Hisn and Al-Hamriya, to male and female citizens in the year 2023 was 144 million dirhams, benefiting 5,318 cases. His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah directed the Department of Human Resources in Sharjah, since the beginning of the year 2023, to provide jobs for citizens, and the number of jobs reached 3,000. Including the appointment of 35 citizen male and female engineers in Sharjah Electricity last October, after they passed the necessary job tests. In addition to hiring 681 male and female citizens.

Projects

With the wise vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah’s achievements remain a witness to the year 2023, as His Highness directed the establishment of many economic, developmental, and cultural projects. Perhaps the most prominent of which is the Zubarah Beach Street project, the establishment of a square on Al Shaheed Saif Eisa Al Naqbi Street, and an asphalt road that represents a main axis to connect the two suburbs of Zubarah and Al Luolo’aya

In addition to providing an asphalt road leading to the Zubarah Beach with 80 parking spaces to serve beachgoers, the foundation for the new water desalination plant project in the Al Hamriya area was laid, which costs 1.65 billion dirhams. Besides the approval of the city water tank project in the central region of the emirate. At a cost of 261 million dirhams, the reservoir supports increasing the area cultivated with wheat and projects related to agriculture.

In 2023, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah also inaugurated the new expansion of the Al Layyah Power Plant, which has a total cost of 2.1 billion dirhams. In addition to allocating 60 million dirhams to provide the Sharjah City Municipality with heavy equipment and machinery, to meet the needs of the emirate’s municipalities.

100 million dirhams were also approved for the first phase of the fire prevention project. Commercial buildings were inaugurated in the city of Dibba Al-Hisn, and a package of developmental projects for the city with a total value of two billion dirhams was announced.

Food security

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah endorsed the launch of several pioneering strategic projects in the field of sustainable agricultural investment with the aim of achieving food security and self-sufficiency in grains including wheat produce at the wheat farm in Milehah. In addition to other food projects that the emirate implemented or announced within its various regions.

These represent well-established tributaries for enhancing food sustainability and achieving the future aspirations of the emirate in the field of sustainability. The success of the various food projects adopted by the emirate in its various regions, and their continued development and supply through the coming stages, makes them integrated in the aspects of food security of agricultural and animal products. To provide the emirate’s needs of wheat, dairy, etc.

Right decisions

Education and culture form unique personality traits in the adequate decisions by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. Based on insight and visions that anticipate the future of the emirate with awareness and comprehensiveness, and work to advance all its aspects. His Highness directed the establishment of the University City in Sharjah in the year 1998. To provide high-quality education, based on local and international standards, and remarkably take the lead in the educational scene of the emirates.

It also includes a number of recognized universities. Such as the University of Sharjah, the American University, Al Qasimia University, Skyline University College, and the Sharjah Police Academy. The universities of Khorfakan and Kalba were also opened in the recent period.

Sharjah Library

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah directed the allocation of 4.5 million dirhams to provide Sharjah public and government libraries with the latest publications of the 42nd session of the Sharjah International Book Fair, in which 2,033 Arab and foreign publishing houses participated. It is a grant aimed at developing literature in the region and the world. In addition to enhancing the progress of publishers’ businesses as well as their chances of      success, and at the same time expand intellectual options.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah paid attention to sports and athletes by providing direct support to them. He issued directives for the establishment of new headquarters for the Sharjah Sports Club, with a financial budget of 350 million dirhams, laid on an area of 3 million square feet, which is double that of the club’s current headquarters. The new headquarters will encompass a main stadium, an administrative building, halls for group and individual games, and sports and service facilities.

There are also 15 sports clubs in various cities of Sharjah, and His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah directed the establishment of 3 clubs, for equestrianism and racing, in the city of Kalba and Mleiha in the Central Region, and the city of Khorfakan in the Eastern Region.

Source: Al Bayan Newspaper