Ras al Khaimah government completes a decade under Sheikh Saud

Our Correspondent

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr has completed 10 years as Ruler of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and as member of the UAE’s Supreme Council, the country’s highest federal authority, on October 28.

His father, the late Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed, was a founding father of the UAE and ruled Ras Al Khaimah for 62 years.

Sheikh Saud, born on February 10, 1956, was the fourth son of Sheikh Saqr and is married to Sheikha Hana, the daughter of a prominent Emirati businessman, Juma Al Majid. His son, Sheikh Mohammed, succeeded him as Crown Prince.

Prior to becoming Ruler, he set up a number of local companies, including RAK Ceramics. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr was Crown Prince and deputy ruler from 2003-2010.

In the decade that followed, the population more than doubled to 438,000 and its geography has evolved. Working closely with the federal government, the emirate completed large-scale infrastructure projects, including thousands of homes for citizens and investment in roads, electricity and water supply to meet the demands of a quickly growing population.

New residential projects included the coastal Mina Al Arab and the expansion of the gated Al Hamra Village, home to 10,000 residents.

Additionally, two new sprawling desert suburbs, Mohamed bin Zayed City and Khalifa bin Zayed City, provided thousands of homes for Emiratis.

The emirate’s GDP grew to Dh35.1 billion by 2016, after rising between five to seven per cent annually from 2011. Sheikh Saud guided the emirate through these changes.

Manufacturing remains Ras Al Khaimah’s largest economic sector, contributing to about a third of its GDP. In the past decade, its two largest quarries, Stevin Rock and RAK Rock, expanded their annual output from 48 million tonnes to about 80 million tonnes.