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28 March 2024

Cabinet launches National Programme for Government Communication

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (Wam)

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By Wam

The UAE Cabinet on Sunday launched the National Programme for Government Communication (NPGC) to address national priorities and societal issues to realise positive changes in the people’s behaviour and life styles. It will include nation-wide awareness and communication campaigns to educate the public about core issues in the community in cooperation with public and private sectors.

The NPGC, to be implemented over seven years till the Golden Jubilee of the UAE in 2021, will consist of seven pillars. Each one will address a society issue. These society issues and national priorities are based on the results of study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) in the UAE. The first communication campaign will be entitled ‘Healthy Children’, and will be followed by other campaigns covering pillars such as ‘Cohesive Family’,  ‘Quality Education’, ‘Green Ideas’, ‘Sustainable Food’, ‘Prosperous Future’, and ‘Diabetes-free UAE’, as well as other national priorities.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, stressed that happiness of the Emirati people is the cornerstone of the government work and that the directions of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, revolves around putting Emiratis’ needs and aspirations as top national priorities. They are at the core of the development process as set by the UAE Vision 2021.

Sheikh Mohammed added, "we need today to strengthen our national efforts to safeguard our achievements we should not stop at this point, but we must embrace innovation in addressing our issues, specially those related to society issues that touch upon the lives of the people and generations to come."

Sheikh Mohammed said, "We live in a world witnessing rapid developments, therefore, we must make positive changes out of these for our nation, our people, to realise UAE Vision 2021. In today’s world, we cannot ignore the role of social media and communication in making an impact on our daily lives. As a government, we will do our best to ensure the utmost utilisation of these by launching innovative, wide-scale initiatives and capitalising on national cadre who are able to identify current challenges and foresee future opportunities."

Representing UAE public and private sectors, communication teams will shoulder the responsibility to implement these awareness campaigns under the overall supervision of the Government Communication Office of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. These campaigns will eventually have positive impacts on people’s lifestyles.

The UAE Cabinet discussed other topics on the agenda.

The Cabinet approved issuing of a decree on measures to appeal against an inclusion in the designated terrorist organisations list according to set procedures. This comes in line with the provisions of Federal Law No. 7 of the year 2014 on combatting terrorist crimes, which was issued by the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Cabinet's own resolution on the designation of terrorist organisations.

The decree identifies measures as follows:

The appeal request shall be submitted to the Ministry of Justice according to set procedures and given providing all required documents.

The ministry will then refer the request to the Supreme National Security Council for further consideration. The council will have the right to seek further explanations or additional documents through Ministry of Justice. 

The Supreme National Security Council will provide the decision on the appeal to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

Ministry of Presedential Affairs will submit the appeal to the Cabinet according to set procedures including the response of the Supreme National Security Council.

Ministry of Justice will inform the person of the Cabinet’s decision.

The Cabinet has also approved the mechanism to implement the UAE Green Growth Strategy that aims to ensure UAE as a global hub and successful model for green economy as well as ensuring a sustainable environment to foster long-term economic growth in line with the National Agenda and UAE Vision 2021. The mechanism consists of five strategic priorities relating to competitive economy, social development, high quality of living, sustainable development, utilisation of natural resources.

The Cabinet also reviewed human rights work plan.

It also discussed and approved the following: the organisational structure of the UAE Space Agency, which lists the mandates and responsibilities of the board, and its agency.

The 2015 budget for General Pension and Social Security Authority was also approved. In addition, a request submitted by the Federal National Council to discuss ‘Policy of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community in Development on Cultural Development’ was approved.

It also approved the UAE to join the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services' (IPBES). IPBES was established in April 2012 as an independent intergovernmental body open to all member countries of the United Nations and has so far 118 countries.

An the international level, the Cabinet approved the inauguration of an Embassy in Mongolia. The Cabinet has also endorsed and approved a number of international agreements such as air transport and services with Cape Verde, Cyprus, Liberia, Mozambique, Somalia and Uganda. It has also endorsed an agreement with Kyrgyzstan on boosting legal cooperation. Finally, the cabinet endorsed agreements with Albania and Chile on tax duality avoidance and another with Greece on boosting mutual investments.

The UAE Cabinet held its meeting on Sunday at the Presidential Palace and was attended by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.


Mohammed bin Rashid tours Royal Equestrian Club


Picture courtesy: www.sheikhmohammed.co.ae

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday visited the Royal Equestrian Club in Dubai, the first premier education and training facility for equine sciences and horse riding in the UAE.

 Privately owned by two young Emiratis, Saif Khalifa bin Mazina and Mustafa Ali bin Ahmed, the 165,000 cubic feet club was established in mid-2014.Owners of the club said it will be officially opened on 14th January, 2015.

Accompanied by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, and other senior officials, Sheikh Mohammed took a tour of various equine and recreational facilities at the complex. He also stopped by at the equine sciences library and the stables which accommodate 27 horses for training.

Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the club's educational and training programmes and its future plans which include opening a branch for the Writtle College, one of the leading providers of equine education in the UK, in 2015.

 Sheikh Mohammed expressed admiration and support for the creative idea of setting up this Club.