His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the 'UAE Soft Power Council'. The council will define a "comprehensive strategy to reinforce the country's position and consolidate its values of respect and appreciation with governments and citizens across the world".

The UAE Soft Power Council will report directly to the UAE Cabinet and will introduce an integrated national strategy that consolidates the roles of both the public and private sectors in achieving soft power and conveying the nation's history in a new way. It will also develop a soft power strategy for the state in the fields of science, culture, technology, humanitarian and economic sectors in order to establish relationships at the grassroots level with partners in the Arab region and globally.

The council will review all legislation and policies that affect the UAE's status and reputation for the UAE Cabinet to review in the coming months.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the UAE has military and economic power and will now develop its soft power in order to "solidify its reputation". This, he said, will serve the interests of its people in the long term and help establish relationships across various sectors including economic, tourism and investment sectors.

"His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has succeeded in establishing a strong and unprecedented position for the UAE on a regional and global scale. We must build strong diplomatic relationships and systems in order to pursue his vision of making the UAE a global example of prestige and excellence," he said.