Abu Dhabi Crown Prince hails citizens, residents alike on National Day

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince has hailed Emiratis and residents in the UAE as the country marked its 42nd National Day on Monday.

“The UAE is made good by all of its loyal people, from its own citizens and residents,” Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan told Al Arabiya News Channel.

“The residents, which are from all over the world, are seen by us just like how we see our own families and children,” Sheikh Nahyan added.

According to the UAE’s 2010 census, there are over eight million people living in the UAE, with Emiratis making about 16.6 percent of the population.

The prince, who is also the deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, said that the trust that Emiratis have in their country’s leadership has created a “unified home.”

Victorious

Last week, Dubai celebrated when it won the right to host the World Expo 2020.

The Gulf country beat bids from Turkey’s Izmir, Brazil’s Sao Paulo, and Russia’s Yekaterinburg after three rounds of voting in Paris.

“No doubt that many of our brothers in the Arab region and around the world saw how Dubai competed against big countries,” said the crown prince.

“We competed and we won with the Expo. It is a victory we should continue to prove that we can keep,” he added.