UAE government has signed 12 MoUs with various local and international partners as part of its UAE Centennial 2071 mission, aimed at making the emirates one of the most advanced countries in the world by 2071.

Key entities including the United Nations, Pfizer, Proctor and Gamble, Ernst and Young; the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, Pico Capital, Genco General Contracting, IBM International, E11, 1776, DP World, and Wamda Capital signed the MoUs with Area 2071 in the presence of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a special ceremony held today (October 23) in Dubai, reported state news agency Wam.

Sheikh Mohammed had inaugurated Area 2071 in Emirates Towers last year, announcing that it will be a space dedicated to labs working, to design the future in order to meet the UAE Centennial 2071 goals.

This is part of the UAE’s mission to adopt an integrated, modern and accelerated development strategy covering various development sectors in the country within the next five decades. The strategy seeks to meet its targets by 2071, the 100th anniversary of the UAE’s federation, it stated.

Area 2071 seeks to find innovative solutions to current and future development challenges faced in a number of sectors.

Speaking at the event, Sheikh Mohammed said: "We launched Area 2071 to provide a zone dedicated to innovation and industry of the future. Today, 12 MoUs were signed with various partners in 11 vital sectors."

"Area 2071 will see specialised labs and partnerships between governments and global tech leaders, who will work together to design the future," he remarked.

"Our goal for the UAE is to become a world-leading hub for designing the future; Area 2071 will be the most developed and influential area dedicated to that vision," he added.

According to him, Area 2071 will be the first-of-its-kind in the world, and will serve as an incubator for the future, with global companies, services and laboratories coming together and integrating their efforts to develop innovative solutions and adopt new technology to meet future needs.

Think tanks and labs will tackle challenges in various development sectors to accelerate their progress, and to provide a pioneering model for tackling these challenges for both the region and the world, he stated.

Area 2071 currently includes the UAE’s Government Accelerators, which were established in 2016 as part of the government’s mission to intensify efforts and accelerate government work by addressing challenges facing various public sectors.

Area 2071 also includes the Dubai Future Accelerators, a part of the Dubai Future Foundation, which seek to develop an innovative system that links government entities in the UAE with the most important international experts in order to best serve the various vital sectors in the country, said the report.

The Youth Hub, one of the world’s best centres for youth under the age of 30 to work and develop innovative ideas, is also part of Area 2071, as is Services 1, a model for the future of government services wherein a single visit and, or, one consolidated payment can work across all government sectors, it stated.

In light of the signing of MoUs, several key challenges in various sectors will be explored, including in aviation, transport and logistics, health, retail, consumer goods, technology and more, adding up to over 11 sectors, said the Wam report.

Area 2071 will seek to attract more world-class institutions, specialised laboratories, research centre and creative people including scientists and researchers, to enhance innovative solutions to development challenges facing the UAE and the world, it stated.

The area will seek to help humanity as a whole by providing a model, developed by the finest minds, experiences and resources in the world, to face the most pressing humanitarian challenges and build our future societies, the report added.