Mohammed tours Manara Civil Defence Centre

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid on Tuesday an inspection visit of Al Manara Civil Defence Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road.

The Dh45 million centre is a firefighting facility which boasts of advanced technologies.

Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the six-point federal civil defence strategic plan which seeks to adopt best practices in firefighting, prevention, rescue and disaster response as well as spread the culture of safety and prevention.

Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, acting Commander General of Civil Defence, informed Sheikh Mohamed that the strategy focuses on imparting professional training to improve the country’s civil defence capabilities.

The strategy calls for establishing an advanced e-communications network and early warning system.
 
"The country’s civil defence infrastructure and crisis management system is the most advanced in the Middle East, enabling the UAE to join the ranks of the 14 safest countries,'' he said.

After touring the centre’s facilities and inspected the firefighting vehicles, Sheikh Mohammed signed the Emirates Code Book.

Outside the centre, Sheikh Mohammed watched a mock firefighting drill where civil defence men came down from a height of 56 metres to tackle fire on a virtual tower.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was delighted at the qualitative progress the civil defence has made in terms of human resources, equipment and technologies.

He said the civil defence sector receives serious attention from the leadership and government, noting the efforts being made by Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to upgrade civil defence equipment in the UAE.

Sheikh Mohammed directed that focused attention be given to development of human resources.

He said coordination among civil defence centres in the country was important for creating a safe environment.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin bashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Mohammed Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim and top Interior Ministry officials.

Mohammed bin Rashid receives SG of BIE

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum received on Tuesday at Zabeel Palace Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Loscertales is visiting the UAE to get insight into assets and potentials that will qualify the UAE to win the bid for hosting 2020 World Expo in Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed and his guest exchanged views on the great economic, tourist and cultural significance of the world event as a gathering for cultures and civilisations and knowledge transfer in array of cultural, social and living issues.

Sheikh Mohammed asserted that the UAE, since its establishment, been focusing on building infrastructure of world class standards in areas of health, education, sports, housing, services utilities, tourism and exhibition and other facilities of civilisational renaissance.

Sheikh Mohammed said it is the other, not us, who evaluates achievements of our State in this field and other domains, adding that he was confident of the UAE and Dubai's merit and worthiness to host the 2020 World Expo, the large-scale, global, non-commercial Expo.

For his part, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), said he was impressed with the qualitative progress he had seen in the UAE in terms of integrated infrastructure, and its professional human resources on meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

He said the UAE has a world class shopping centres, and transport and communications modes especially in the aviation and mass transit sectors.

The meeting was also attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority , Mohammed Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Reem Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State and member of higher committee for World Expo 2020, Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander -in-Chief of Dubai Police and members of higher committee for World Expo 2020.

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