سعود بن صقر.. قيادة حكيمة وآفاق واعدة وتنمية مُستدامة

• The gross domestic product is $11.5 billion, 30% for industry and 5% for tourism
• 38 thousand companies from 100 countries in 50 economic and investment fields
• Establishing the world’s first free zone for digital asset companies
• 1.13 million tourists in 2022… and 904 thousand in 9 months

Ras Al Khaimah’s achievements continue, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, amid an integrated and sustainable development scene in the emirate, while Al Khaleej, on the 13th anniversary of His Highness assuming the reins of power in the emirate, provides a spacious space to read about development achievements. And monitoring the civilizational gains that Ras Al Khaimah has achieved, based on solid foundations of sustainable development thought, which gives science and scientific research a leadership role, and gives “education” a leadership position in leading the pace of modernization and development in its regions.

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi assumed the reins of rule of Ras Al Khaimah on October 27, 2010, completing 13 bright years full of achievements, sustainability and development, amid promising numbers, positive indicators, and promising statistics.

the beginning

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr was born in Dubai in 1956, and received his education at Al Qasimia Primary School and Al Siddiq Secondary School in Ras Al Khaimah, before joining the American University of Beirut in 1973, after which he moved on to complete his postgraduate studies at the University of Michigan in the United States. Where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in political and economic sciences.

After his return from the United States in 1978, he was appointed head of the Amiri Diwan. In 1986, he assumed the presidency of the Municipal Council. He continued his focus on developing the infrastructure and governance frameworks in the emirate.

Sheikh Saud founded the “Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics” Company, and restructured the “Julphar” Pharmaceutical Industries Company, and the Ras Al Khaimah Stones Company “RAKROCK.” His directions had a great impact in strengthening the presence of these companies, and were a direct reason for them reaching the position they enjoy. today.

Business environment

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr assumed the Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah on June 14, 2003, to ensure that the foundations of the business environment were laid by establishing free zones and industrial complexes, facilitating procedures for obtaining commercial licenses, and registering foreign companies.

On October 27, 2010, His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi officially assumed the reins of government in Ras Al Khaimah, succeeding his father Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, may God have mercy on him. Since then, he has been keen to continue the development process and diversify the economic portfolio, which was accompanied by… With his interest in working to enhance the standard of life in the emirate, and improving the quality of public services and facilities.

Quality of life

His Highness is keen to provide the highest levels of quality in education and health care. The emirate is home to about 100 public and private schools, offering various educational curricula, including British, American, Indian, and Pakistani, in addition to the International Baccalaureate. The emirate includes a number of prestigious higher education institutions, such as the American University, the British University of Bolton, the Swiss Research Foundation, and Ras Al Khaimah Medical University. Saqr, Ibrahim bin Hamad Obaidullah, Shaam, and other health facilities provide health services with the highest quality standards.

Academic evaluation

In appreciation of his role in achieving a qualitative leap in sustainable development and enhancing the status of Ras Al Khaimah, His Highness was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom in 2010, and an honorary fellowship certificate from the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research in India in 2013. 2018 witnessed He received an honorary doctorate from Incheon National University in South Korea, the year in which he received the “Visionary Leader” award from “Arabian Business.”

Safe digital city

His Highness the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah succeeded in leading the emirate towards several achievements in various sectors, the most prominent of which was the “Digital Safe City” project, which he launched to enhance the quality of security life and consolidate Ras Al Khaimah’s position in the competitiveness of cities that attract investment and tourism. It is considered one of the most important projects. Police venture capital fund in the field of technological security and digital transformation.

Digital Assets Oasis

His Highness issued Law No. 2 of 2023 establishing the “Ras Al Khaimah Digital Assets Oasis”, to be the first free zone in the world dedicated to digital asset companies, concerned with innovation in new sectors of the future.

International conferences

As a representative of the UAE, and on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi participated in a number of regional and international summits and conferences, in the years 2022 and 2023, and headed the country’s delegation there, which included a conference Baghdad Cooperation and Partnership, Jordan December 2022, Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group Summit, Azerbaijan March 2023, Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia June 2023, 15th BRICS Summit, South Africa August 24, 2023, and the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Beijing October Present.

Economic diversity

For more than a decade, the emirate has maintained its sovereign credit rating at the “A” level, according to the international rating agencies “Fitch” and “Standard & Poor’s”, and the number of companies currently operating in it reaches about 38 thousand companies, from 100 countries. It operates in 50 economic fields. The economy of Ras Al Khaimah is considered one of the most diversified economies in the country.

Ras Al Khaimah’s gross domestic product reaches approximately $11.5 billion, and it enjoys a diversified economic portfolio, with industry being its largest sector. It contributes about 30% of the gross domestic product, and the tourism sector is one of the fastest growing sectors, contributing about 5% of the gross domestic product.

Business sectors

Ras Al Khaimah has paid great attention to building a strong business sector, which constitutes a pillar of sustainable development. National brands and business sectors play a pivotal role in supporting the growth process, and many of them have succeeded in putting the emirate’s name on the global map, the most important of which are:

4 ports, including Saqr Port, the largest handling port in the Middle East, and Ras Al Khaimah Maritime City, the only free zone in the region, which has direct access to the sea through a dedicated port. Import and export traffic at Saqr Port has witnessed a double growth during the past five years. Ras Al Khaimah Ports handled 75 million tons of goods annually, and the port expansion process, which ended in 2019, added two deep-water berths capable of handling large ships, bringing its annual capacity to 95 million tons, making it one of the largest handling ports in the world.

Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones Authority (RAKZ), a developed industrial and commercial destination; It offers investors a distinct set of solutions. It currently hosts more than 15,000 companies, from more than 100 countries, operating in 50 economic sectors, making it one of the largest economic zones in the region. It connects investors to markets in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

4200 new companies

About 4,200 companies joined RAKEZ in 2022, with the number of registered companies growing by 18% compared to 2021, strengthening Ras Al Khaimah’s position as an investment destination for small and medium-sized companies and prominent industrial companies. Last year, RAKEZ recorded a growth of 206%, compared to the previous year.

Ras Al Khaimah is an ideal destination for establishing and developing businesses, and industry is the largest sector in the emirate, contributing about 30% of the gross domestic product, which indicates the diversity of the economic portfolio.

One million packages of medicine

Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries “Julphar” is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Middle East and Africa. It exports its products to about 50 countries, and produces about one million packages of medicine daily, from its 12 facilities in the Emirates. In 2022, Julphar launched 22 new products.

“Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics” represents one of the largest ceramic manufacturers in the world, and was able to achieve annual revenues amounting to about one billion dollars, and produces 118 million square meters of tiles annually, and 5 million pieces of sanitary ware.

petroleum

Ras Al Khaimah Petroleum Authority concluded exploration and production sharing agreements with the Italian company Eni, which obtained two concessions for oil and gas exploration in two fields in the emirate. The authority concluded an agreement with BG NEG, the largest hydrocarbon company in Poland, and RAK Gas joined these agreements as a partner. By the end of 2023 and 2024, the drilling of 3 exploratory wells for oil and gas will be completed.

Bus industry

Ras Al Khaimah includes international, medium and small companies that have achieved great success. Ashok Leyland, an Indian company that manufactures commercial vehicles, works to supply the construction sector with buses, by producing about 2,000 buses annually from its factory in the emirate.

Street Group and Mahindra Emirates Automotive Armoring Company work in the manufacture of armored vehicles and cars from their headquarters in Ras Al Khaimah, and work to provide their products to various markets around the world. Street is the largest manufacturer of armored vehicles and armored cars in the world. Its production capacity reaches 400 vehicles per month. The number is expected to double as the group completes the plan to expand its factory, extending over an additional 100,000 square meters, at a value of $100 million.

19032 Commercial license

The number of valid licenses increased by the end of 2022 to reach 19,032 licenses, compared to 18,208 licenses at the end of 2021, a growth rate of 4.5%. The total capital of valid licenses amounted to about 7.9 billion dirhams, distributed among commercial licenses: 54%, industrial licenses: 29%, and professional licenses: 17%.

Ras Al Khaimah has a picturesque natural environment, and the emirate’s government works to support sustainable development, which is reflected in the policies it implements. In 2018, Ras Al Khaimah launched the ambitious strategy for energy efficiency and renewable energy 2040, which aims to reduce energy consumption by 30%, reduce water consumption by 20%, and increase the percentage of electricity generation by 20% using renewable energy sources, by 2040.

1.13 million tourists

In 2022, Ras Al Khaimah achieved great success by registering about 1.13 million tourists, an increase of 15.6% compared to 2021. While the number of tourists during the year 2023, from January to September, exceeded 904 thousand. Ras Al Khaimah currently includes 50 hotels and 8,091 rooms, and the number of hotel facilities under construction is 23, which is scheduled to provide 7,483 new rooms, to reach capacity. The total capacity is 15,574 hotel rooms.

Jebel Jais

The emirate is home to Jebel Jais, the highest mountain peak in the Emirates, with a height of 1,934 metres, and it hosts a number of distinctive tourist destinations, including “Jebel Jais”, the longest zip line in the world, with a length of 2.83 km, and the ropes course “Robbs Course”, a self-guided path using a rope. At an altitude of 10 metres, the “Jass Hanging Tour” zipline, the “Bear Grylls Explorers’ Camp”, and the “1484 by Boro” restaurant are the highest in the country, in addition to a network extending 65 kilometers of paths designated for mountain hiking.

Ras Al Khaimah is working on establishing other quality projects in Jebel Jais, such as: an environmentally friendly temporary hotel, with the “Pop-Up Hotel” concept, luxury mountain lodges, and 35 kilometers of trails designated for mountain hiking and cycling amidst the majestic mountains.

Judiciary

In the judiciary, the rate of digital transformation in Ras Al Khaimah court services reached 96% for the year 2022, the average age of a decided case is 36 days, the rate of adjudication of cases was estimated at 99%, and the average case age decreased in the last 5 years to 44.7%.

1000 archaeological sites

Ras Al Khaimah includes about 1,000 archaeological and historical sites, and excavations have revealed advanced commercial civilizations that inhabited the region more than 5,000 years BC.

Al-Jazeera Al-Hamra has an authentic architectural heritage and is the only integrated fishing village that preserves its nature and landmarks in the Arabian Gulf, despite the migration of its residents in 1968. A huge project is being worked on to restore its splendor and turn it into a tourist attraction.

20,000 artifacts, including collectibles related to Emirati culture, pottery, coins, and combat equipment, were registered in the database of the Department of Antiquities and Museums during the past 30 years.

Ras Al Khaimah has a rich history, dating back 7,000 years of civilization, and various natural landmarks. Its economy is one of the most diversified in the region.

Coral Island

“Al Marjan Island” has 7.8 km of beaches and a 23 km waterfront, housing 3,000 hotel rooms, from a large group of international hotels. The island extends 4.5 kilometers into the waters of the Gulf, covers 2.7 million square meters, and includes residential villas. Work is currently underway to establish an integrated resort on the island, developed by “Wayne Resorts”. Al-Murjan plans to provide 8,000 hotel rooms in the coming years, 12,000 residential units, and 600 villas.

Al Hamra Village and Mina Al Arab

Al Hamra Village, which extends over 77 million square meters, provides a unique atmosphere that blends heritage authenticity with modern designs, in a community environment that enjoys the highest standards of security and safety. It includes 4,000 villas and apartments, and 10,000 people live there. It includes a residential complex with picturesque beaches extending along 1.5 kilometers, a golf course, a number of hotels, resorts, health facilities, a shopping center, and a marina that can accommodate 200 yachts.

Mina Al Arab is one of the distinguished tourist residential projects on the waterfront, consisting of a group of residential units overlooking the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Its area is 4 million square metres, and it includes about 7,000 trees that receive migratory birds. It houses the InterContinental Resort and Spa, and is expected to soon include the world-famous Anantara Resort.