Determination, strong will lead to greater achievements: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the world today is passing through exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Only with strong will and determination, we can lead the country to greater successes and achievements," His Highness said during a virtual session hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation's Youth Council.

Titled "Every Success has a Story: Effective Diplomacy", the session was moderated by Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, the UAE ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the presence of Khalid Belhoul Al Falasi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, spoke to Sheikh Abdullah on a number of ongoing issues, including the COVID-19 related developments, Emirati diplomacy and the important role played by the Education and Human Resources Council.

During the session in which more than 150 young men and women from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and members of the diplomatic corps abroad participated, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed reviewed a number of stories and experiences he had gone through during his diplomatic career and the experience he gained at the hands of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Sheikh Abdullah said: "We live in a humanitarian dilemma which has verified the vital importance of scientists, scholars, researchers, doctors, nurses and medical personnel, whom we must wholeheartedly salute on account of the sacrifices they and their families are providing in order to perform their duty in the best way."

He expressed his pride of the intensified efforts made to expand COVID-19 tests under the guidance and support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. "The expansion of virus screenings is a significant initiative that requires advanced research, and high laboratorial and medical capabilities; carrying them out is very important for the diverse society of the UAE," he said.

"Our success in managing the crisis has contributed to strengthening our ability to help others and extend a helping hand to brotherly and friendly countries," he added, emphasising the importance of fostering cooperation and partnerships between various countries of the world.

"Everyone should adhere to the preventive and preventive measures issued by the relevant authorities," he affirmed.

"The post COVID-19 world will be different and everyone must strive to keep pace with the coming changes, develop their skills, hunt for the best solutions, and promote innovation," he said.

On the Education and Human Resources Council, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said, "The EHRC's formation came in order to formulate a general state policy for these two sectors wherein cooperation and coordination should be ensured between the federal and local departments and authorities to establish an advanced education-friendly environment in government and private educational institutions. This is in addition to creating a clear link between education syllabi and the needs of the labor market at the governmental or private sectors."

"The best option is to have educational outputs that are capable of nurturing the passion for self-learning, research and innovation with competent and qualified teachers to deliver such outputs," he said.

Sheikh Abdullah praised the remote learning model in the UAE, saying: "Without the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme, we would have faced several challenges in continuing the educational process like those encountered by other countries, but we've excelled thanks to this smart learning platform."

He highlighted some of the achievements made by the UAE, like hosting the headquarters of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UAE passport becoming one of the world's most powerful.

"These achievements are the fruit of great efforts by various teams that have worked very hard to earn the world's trust in the UAE and its citizens."

On diplomacy, he said that the successful diplomats seeks to put the country's national interest first, builds on elements of strength and acts as an effective tool of communication rather than a tool of crisis. At the same time, he continued, the diplomat should never get complacent when it comes to passionately serving own country's interests.

He added that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan always believed in reasoning and clarity of positions taken.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the importance of UAE's rich heritage in bolstering the country's global reputation.

On the role of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, he said: "We are currently engaged in continuous discussions on the post-COVID-19 era and we are looking for new and more useful tools and studies for the next phase."

Sheikh Abdullah urged the youth of the ministry to work hard, to continue their quest for knowledge and qualification and to seek specialties that fulfill the country's needs in the job market. He also urged them to pursue excellence and to overcome all challenges to become ambassadors to their countries everywhere.

The Youth Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation adopts the slogan "Diplomacy of the Future: Ambition and Hope" and its vision is to prepare a promising generation of young diplomats by developing the skills, abilities and competencies of the Ministry’s youth, to highlight the UAE’s efforts in empowering the youth, embracing their ambitions and hopes, and promoting diplomatic work based on knowledge and innovation to achieve excellence in foreign policy.