RIYADH: UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom Mohammed bin Saeed bin Al-Dhaheri said on Thursday the celebration of the 45th UAE National Day was not only limited to the country’s founding anniversary but was also a celebration of the accomplishments of his country under Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, UAE ruler, his brothers, members of the UAE Supreme Council, and rulers of the emirates.

In an interview with SPA, he said the country had been transformed from a vision or a concept into an approach, a conduct, and daily activities through projects and initiatives, and services provided to all members of society. Hopes and aspirations were also transformed into real accomplishments to ensure the comfort and happiness of the people, and to create promising futures for their children, he said.

The ambassador noted that the economic, political, social, and institutional development in the UAE was one of the most important aspects in the path toward the union’s success. He also praised the enlightened and intellectual abilities of the country’s wise leader and founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, and his brothers, the rulers of the emirates, who all believed in unity and worked tirelessly to achieve and protect it.

“Despite all the transformations and radical changes in the Middle East and the world in recent years, the UAE’s foreign policy remains constant and in accordance with the principles of international law and agreements and the protection of human rights,” said the ambassador.

“The UAE’s successful and active foreign policy is based on balance and fairness, and lack of intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, keeping in mind the UAE’s recognition of its responsibilities and place on the Arab, regional, and international levels.”

He added: “Over the past 45 years, the UAE has played a leading humanitarian role on the regional and international level, and this has been evident in many places that have, and continue to suffer from, crises, natural disasters, and conflict. The UAE has provided developmental, humanitarian, and charitable assistance to all regions around the world during this year, bringing the total numbers that benefited from the UAE’s projects and programs since the founding of the state in 1971 to more than 178 countries.”

On the national level, he said the UAE had achieved positive economic growth and had been able to deal with, and overcome, the effects of the global financial crisis. The UAE’s economy continues to move toward prosperity and growth, especially with the development of the local industrial sector which is a strong competitor on the global level. He said the state’s GDP in 2015 increased to ADH1.58 trillion, while the percentage of the non-oil sectors to GDP was more than 76 percent during 2015.

He lauded UAE-Saudi ties, which are based on principles of cooperation and mutual respect.

In recent years, he said, relations had reached a level of strategic partnership in many areas, with visits of leaders of both countries serving as an indicator of the strength of bilateral relations across various fields.

He expressed his hope for elevating such relations to new horizons and wider areas of cooperation in the future.