Day: June 27, 2024

ABU DHABI: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Department today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate knowledge sharing and attract more visitors to their museums, boosting tourism and driving economic growth in both emirates.

The partnership, signed by Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Under-Secretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, and Saeed Al Samahi, General Director of Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Department, will allow the entities to exchange knowledge and expertise, develop joint training programmes, and engage local and global tourists through joint marketing and promotional activities.

This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to promoting the cultural heritage of Abu Dhabi and Fujairah by exchanging artefacts and artworks, which will attract greater numbers of visitors and deepen public understanding of their respective histories.

Al Hosani said this MoU enables collaboration between the two museums through joint program
mes and promotions. He added that highlighting both emirates’ rich artistic and cultural heritage will foster pride in national identity and promote cross-cultural understanding.

For his part, Al Samahi stated that this MoU strengthens cooperation and sheds light on Fujairah’s historical and cultural richness,

“Furthermore, this collaboration will open new prospects for all emirates in the UAE to exchange tourism experiences and explore pioneering practices, as we work to make Fujairah an attractive destination for both domestic and international tourism,” he noted.

In recent years, Abu Dhabi has transformed into a global hub for culture and creativity. Its Saadiyat Cultural District is home to the renowned Louvre Abu Dhabi and a growing community of institutions and attractions, which will soon welcome the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.

Tourism is a key pillar in Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic diversification strate
gy. The emirate recently launched its Tourism Strategy 2030, which will see the sector add AED90 billion to the UAE’s GDP annually by 2030 and attract 39.3 million visitors every year to Abu Dhabi.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, received Dr. Faisal Mekdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

During a working dinner, Sheikh Abdullah welcomed the visit of Dr. Mekdad and discussed strengthening bilateral ties between the UAE and Syria across various sectors, including development, to serve the mutual interests of both nations.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the UAE-Syria long-standing fraternal relations, underscoring their mutual commitment to fostering cooperation for the benefit of their peoples. He also wished Syria security, stability, and further growth and prosperity.

The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East, stressing the importance of collective Arab efforts in promoting sustainable stability and meeting the developmental aspirations of the region’s populations.

The meeting was attended by Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Min
ister of State, and Hassan Ahmed Al Shehhi, UAE Ambassador to Syria.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, attended the announcement of the Sandooq Al Watan summer programmes for schools and universities.

In a speech during a press conference held today to announce the summer programmes, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sandooq Al Watan, commended the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, emphasising the importance of taking pride in one’s national identity, including its values and principles, and the commitment to focusing on human capital development and empowering individuals.

Sheikh Nahyan highlighted the significance of Sandooq Al Watan as an effective tool for fostering national identity, loyalty, and youth empowerment, as well as the role of its summer programmes in promoting human values, and the Emirati cultural identity and quest for econ
omic and scientific excellence.

These programmes were launched last year, and included Qodwati, which focuses on promoting the UAE national identity, and Fekrati, which seeks to upskill students and encourage creativity, innovation and proactivity. Sheikh Nahyan noted that these programmes have seen a considerable turnout so far, with a record total of 15,000 students.

He announced the addition of a new programme, ‘Language of the Quran’, which aims to strengthen Arabic language skills as well as promote the national identity and values, which are aligned with Quran Teachings. The programmes are implemented in collaboration with 18 schools.

For university students, Sandooq Al Watan will launch the ‘Fursan Qeyam Al Ensan” programme, which includes a three-week course on human values, followed by community service projects. This programme will start as a pilot at selected universities.

Source: Emirates News Agency

PARIS: A UAE government delegation met Ulrike Knudsen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at the organisation’s headquarters in Paris, to discuss opportunities for expanding future bilateral cooperation. The meeting further tackled adopting the UAE’s successful experiences and best practices as global standards for OECD member states.

The visit of the UAE government delegation aimed to discuss strengthening and continuing the cooperation between the UAE government and the OECD, presenting successful UAE experiences and government work models, and sharing them with the members of the organisation.

The UAE government delegation invited the OECD Secretary-General to attend the upcoming World Governments Summit meetings, to be held in February 2025 in Dubai, in the presence of world leaders, ministers, government officials, and experts.

During their meetings with the Deputy Director-General and OECD senior officials, the delegation presented a number o
f government initiatives and experiences, including the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, the best government practices adopted in the field of legislative transformation, economic priorities and partnerships, government innovation, the development of integrated, smart and digital government services, the zero government bureaucracy programme among other key government initiatives, programmes and projects.

The UAE delegation included Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, Khalid Al Harmoodi, Deputy Secretary-General for Cabinet Affairs Support in the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, Maria Hanif Qasim, Deputy Under-Secretary for the Policy and Economic Studies Sector at the Ministry of Economy, and Salim Al Shaami, Executive Director of Government Services at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Hesham Amiri, Government Services Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Ruqayya Al Blooshi, Executive Director for International at the Prime Minister’s
Office.

Huda Al Hashimi stated that cooperation between the UAE government and the OECD comes within the UAE government’s interactive approach to foster partnerships for promoting development enablers such as agile governance, technology, digital transformation, AI, and zero bureaucracy to accelerate the development of government work, promote innovation, facilitate procedures, enhance community participation, develop services, encourage entrepreneurship, and adopt the best global government practices.

Fruitful Meetings

During the visit, the delegation held several meetings with senior officials from various sectors in the international organisation, including Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation; Carlos Santiso, Head of Innovative, Digital and Open Governance Division (INDIGO); Paulo Santiago, Head of the Policy Advice and Implementation (PAI) Division; Carlos Conde, Head of Middle East and Africa Division in the Global Relations Secretariat; Lucia Cusmano, Acting Head o
f the SME and Entrepreneurship Division at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE); Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs; Nadim Ahmed, Deputy Director at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE); Jens Lundsgaard, Deputy Director, Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation; Nicolas Pinaud, Deputy Director, OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs; Gillian Dorner, Deputy Director in the Public Governance Directorate; Isabell Koske, Deputy Director of Country Studies; Anna Pietikainen, Head of the Regulatory Policy Division; and Karine Perset, Head of the Artificial Intelligence Unit.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has met students from Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge’s (ADEK) Khotwa Scholarship Programme.

His Highness, during the meeting, highlighted the significance of developing and enhancing UAE National youth talent across academic and vocational fields, meeting local and global labour market requirements through the provision of opportunities to complete high-quality education programmes at leading academic and vocational institutions worldwide.

He urged Khotwa Scholarship Programme students to embrace their roles as UAE ambassadors, encouraging them to act as representatives of the UAE’s traditions and values. His Highness also reaffirmed the leadership’s support of Emirati youth in enabling them to develop their academic capabilities and hone their technical skills in various sectors.

Launched under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al N
ahyan in September 2022, ADEK’s Khotwa programme will offer higher education opportunities in the US and Canada to 6,000 Emirati students by 2028. The programme is designed to enhance students’ access to education opportunities and provide them with new academic horizons. In 2023, the programme strengthened its global scholarship partner network after collaborating with prestigious community colleges in Australia and New Zealand.

Currently, Khotwa supports 694 participants, bringing the total number of students enrolled to 1,146 through to September 2024. The fully-funded programme provides cohorts with future-ready, global-appropriate skills, and broad educational experiences, empowering them to achieve their full potential and contribute to growing the UAE’s knowledge-based economy.

The meeting was attended by a number of the programme’s current and prospective students, who highlighted the significance of the programme in developing skills and enhancing capabilities across academic and professional secto
rs.

After the meeting, the students extended their profound gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the UAE’s leadership for providing unwavering support to Emirati youth, reaffirming their pride in serving as UAE ambassadors abroad.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Rabat – A meeting devoted to examining the preparations underway for the organization of the General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-2024) was held on Thursday at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior, under the chairmanship of Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, and High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi Alami.

This meeting is part of the implementation of the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the upcoming general census, as outlined in the letter sent by the Sovereign, may God assist Him, to the Head of Government on June 20th regarding the preparation for the general census scheduled throughout September of this year, according to a statement by the Ministry of the Interior.

It was an opportunity to review the High Royal Directives aimed at ensuring the rigorous organization of this major national event, given the important and multiple data and indicators it will provide on Moroccan society, which are of interest to national and international institutio
ns, political, social and economic players, civil society, Moroccan families and foreign communities residing in Morocco, the same source added.

The meeting was also an occasion to reiterate His Majesty the King’s firm commitment to ensuring the success of the next general census, which the Sovereign hopes will be innovative in terms of the approach and technological resources to be mobilized for data collection and processing, and ambitious in terms of the scope of the survey, which will be extended to include topical issues that enjoy the Royal High Solicitude, including the structuring societal project to generalize social protection.

In addition, the forthcoming general population and housing census will contribute to the achievement of the social project and the deployment of the development model, built on the principles of political democracy, economic efficiency, human development and social and territorial cohesion.

Based on the High Royal Orientations, all the measures to be implemented were exam
ined in order to promote the full success of this important national event, which requires, in addition to the overall mobilization of significant human and logistical resources, broad support and close and effective coordination on the part of all administrations, public establishments and deconcentrated services, in addition to regional, provincial and local authorities and communities, noted the Ministry of the Interior.

In this regard, emphasis was placed on the importance of effective coordination between the services of the Ministry of the Interior and the High Commission for Planning (HCP), as well as with all government departments in supporting all the preparatory and procedural stages of the general census, the statement added, underlining the essential role of walis and governors, alongside elected councils and the deconcentrated services of ministries, in terms of logistical and human support and in determining the manner of their contribution to carrying out the census.

With regard to the curre
nt state of preparations, the HCP is working to implement the necessary measures to mobilize human resources, through the completion of the selection process for the teams in charge of field missions relating to data collection from families, monitoring and supervision, as well as preparations for a training session to be held for members of these teams over the months of July and August, with a view to collecting and exploiting these data using the technological resources deployed by the HCP for the conduct of this large-scale national operation.

The meeting was also an opportunity to recall the contents of the Letter addressed by HM King Mohammed VI to the Head of Government, in which the Sovereign calls on citizens to demonstrate full cooperation and active participation in this exercise of general interest by providing reliable and accurate information, which will be used in drawing up public policies in line with the country’s interests and in keeping with the development projects and programs carried o
ut under the far-sighted guidance of His Majesty the King, the statement concluded.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse