UAE: Meet the five Emiratis making global contributions

Five exceptional Emiratis were awarded the “Pride of the Emirates” medal as part of the 6th edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Government Excellence Award on Thursday for representing the UAE globally with their outstanding contributions.

The winners are improving people’s lives globally through their contributions in different fields.

Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Born in 1979, Razan Al Mubarak is a global leader and advocate for nature who has spearheaded progressive environmental protection and species conservation for over 20 years.

On September 8, 2021, Al Mubarak became the first woman from the West Asia region to be elected IUCN president for a four-year term in the organization’s 72-year history and the first Arab president since 1978. She holds several titles including the Managing Director of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Managing Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund – a philanthropy providing grant that has supported 2,250 projects to protect endangered species in more than 180 countries - and the Managing Director of Emirates Nature –WWF— a UAE-based affiliate of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

During her tenure at EAD, she has overseen the successful breeding of captive Scimitar-horned oryx in Abu Dhabi, which is listed as Extinct in the Wild, as well as established and managed protected areas across more than 15 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s terrestrial and marine territory.

In 2018, the World Economic Forum selected her as one of the top 100 Young Global Leaders for her contribution to building a more sustainable future for humankind.

Major-General Dr Ahmed Nasser Ahmed AlRaisi, President of Interpol

With more than four decades of experience in law enforcement, AlRaisi, inspector-general at the Ministry of Interior, played a pivotal role in advancing policing technologies and digitising government services in the UAE.

As an expert in policing, digital transformation, and international anti-crime coordination, AlRaisi contributed to the development of the UAE’s integrated security system and the roll-out of iris and facial recognition technology — efforts that helped make the UAE one of the safest countries in the world.

As a member of the Interpol Executive Committee, he worked with the Interpol president and secretary-general to support the modernisation of Interpol’s structures and procedures, and the development of a strategy for the future of Interpol to respond and adapt to new trends in criminal activities.

Through his tenure as the president of Interpol, a position he has been holding since November 2021, Al Raisi told Khaleej Times that he aims to share the UAE’s pioneering experience in security, which made it one of the safest countries in the​ world, and use his extensive experience to lead the organisation’s digital transformation. Combating the rising cybercrime globally will also be among his priorities.

“I will focus on diversifying the expertise and competencies within the Interpol during my four-year term to benefit from talents across the continents to make the world a safer place,” said AlRaisi.

Dr Ali AlBlooshi, orthopaedic surgeon who uses robotics and artificial intelligence

Dr Ali AlBlooshi, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, has been conducting critical reconstructive surgeries using robotics and artificial intelligence.

In addition to his work at Mediclinic City Hospital, AlBlooshi is the founder of Orthocure Medical Centre and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UAE University. Speaking to Khaleej Times, he said the use of robotics increased the accuracy, efficiency, and speed of bone surgeries.

“In January 2021, we brought the latest advanced robotics before many countries in Europe, Korea, and Japan. The medal is a motivation to be first in everything in the UAE, especially AI adoption.”

AlBlooshi said he conducted 1,000 surgeries using smart robotics. “This is the future of medicine.”

AlBlooshi obtained a bachelor's degree in Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and undertook his orthopedic residency programme at the University of Toronto.

He took clinical fellowships at both Mount Sinai Hospital and St. Michael Hospital focusing on adult lower extremity joint reconstruction, revision hip and knee arthroplasty and hip and knee computer assisted surgery. During this time, he co-authored publications on hip and knee arthroplasty and bearing surfaces used in hip replacement. Subsequently, he completed an MBA in hospital management in the United States.

Fatima Al Mulla, Emirati researcher and teaching assistant at University College London

Holder of PhD in Biochemical Engineering and Industrial Process Leadership from University College London, Fatima Al Mulla actively contributed to the global fight against Covid-19.