Politics

DUBAI– The General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector (TRA) has announced it organised the first meeting of 2021 of the Online Service Index (OSI) Executive Team, an indicator of UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda.

The meeting, held virtually, was attended by OSI team members representing 11 federal entities, including local electronic/digital governments. It reviewed best government practices for 2020, and international developments, given the special circumstance that the world has gone through in recent months.

The meeting reviewed key achievements made by the UAE in Open Data, and the substantial development in the UAE Open Data Portal. The UAE advanced to the 16th place globally in the 2020 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) report, issued by the Open Data Organisation, covering 187 countries, to record a jump of 51 ranks at once, compared to the 2018 report.

Salem Al Housani, Acting Deputy Director-General of the Information and mGovernment Sector, and Chairman of the OSI Team, stressed that the UAE was able to make strides in Open Data last year, reaching the 16th place globally, saying, “We will continue our meetings and cooperation to achieve all entitlements as today we are just a few months away to celebrating our golden jubilee, the deadline set by our wise leadership to realise the UAE Vision and National Agenda Objectives. This requires further efforts from us as a national OSI team, and action to increase communication, coordination and cooperation between our government entities, to have increased activation of smart services in line with UAE Vision 2021 and the goals of the National Agenda.”

During the meeting, participants reviewed the big leap made by the UAE in Open Data, according to the Open Data Watch, which measures the inclusiveness and openness of official data and statistics. It also includes an assessment of UAE Open Data Portals across three key sectors, 22 categories and 65 sub-indicators.

Furthermore, the meeting addressed the Open Data Race, one of the open data team initiatives in cooperation with 14 government entities, which contributed to raising UAE’s ranking to 16th in the Global Open Data Index. The meeting reviewed the achievements of UAE Hackathon in its previous sessions.

Priorities of the National OSI Team are to provide a sustainable environment and integrated digital infrastructure and to achieve the goals set at the global level. The Team acts in accordance with major global trends in the UN e-Government Survey, namely bridging the digital divide, Open Data, promoting use, multichannel services, Connected Government (G2G), and e-participation.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, has met with Prime Minister of Mali Boubou Cisse.

Malian Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Salif Traore and the accompanying delegation attended the meeting.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues of mutual concern, especially in the policing and security domains and ways to enhance cooperation between the two friendly countries.

The meeting was attended by Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaiaili, Head of the Institutional Development Council at the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier Mohammed Hamid Dalmouj Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Office of His Highness the Minister of Interior.

Also present were several officers from the ministry and members of the Malian Prime Minister’s accompanying delegation.

Source: Emirates News Agency

RIYADH, Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has chaired the UAE delegation to the meeting of the preparatory ministerial council for the 40th summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council Supreme Council.

Addressing the meeting, Dr. Gargash expressed his hope the GCC would contribute to efforts towards inclusive development in order to realise stability, progress, prosperity, and the happiness of the region’s peoples while strengthening relations based on ”our tolerant religion, international conventions and the GCC statute, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs of other states so as to serve the interests of all stakeholders.” He said that GCC leaders would examine a wide range of issues relating to the development of the GCC.

Source: Emirates News Agency

GENEVA, The UAE participated in a meeting of member countries of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction.

The UAE delegation was headed by Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Other International Organisations in Switzerland, and included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.

During the meeting, Al Zaabi delivered a speech stressing the UAE’s keenness to cooperate with the Convention’s support unit while calling upon its member states to promote confidence-building measures.

He also explained the UAE’s work to improve its biological security systems, noting that the country established in 2012 the National Committee for Biosecurity and drafted and implemented a national biological security strategy.

Al Zaabi affirmed that the strategy’s goals and sub-initiatives support the country’s efforts to strengthen biological security, stressing that the UAE is working with full transparency to facilitate the exchange of relevant scientific equipment, materials, and information according to Article No. 10 of the Convention.

The UAE has established and operates a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory to research infectious diseases in line with best practices in the field of biological security, he added.

Al Zaabi highlighted that the UAE drafted the National Action Plan for Health Security 2019-2023 in cooperation with the World Health Organisation and other relevant national authorities, and in February 2019, a workshop was held with the participation of the WHO and relevant partners, including various government authorities.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council, FNC, stated that today’s launch of the first session of the 10th legislative chapter of the Sharjah Consultative Council, attended by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, will help reinforce the participation of Emirati citizens in the decision-making process.

He added that the local electoral experience supported by Dr. Sheikh Sultan has ensured its success, affirming his belief in reinforcing the parliamentary development process witnessed by the UAE, to encourage the political participation of citizens.

He also pointed out that the Council’s launch is a key addition to the political empowerment programmes launched by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2005.

Ghobash expressed his full confidence that President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa and the Council’s members will exert all possible efforts to fulfil their duties, to achieve greater successes and serve and empower Emirati citizens.

Source: Emirates News Agency

AJMAN, H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, said that the UAE has strengthened its political, economic, developmental and social status under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a statement on the 48th National Day to the ‘Nation Shield’, magazine, H.H. Sheikh Humaid said: “On the occasion of the UAE’s 48th National Day, I am delighted to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, and the people of the UAE.

“This year’s celebration coincides with the cherished occasion of the re-election of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa as President. During his era, the UAE has strengthened its political, economic, developmental and social status, and acquired a good reputation as a modern country that assists other countries, creating a model to be copied for the region and the Arab and Islamic world.

“On this occasion, we renew our allegiance to our leader to continue the path of the Union, which began on 2nd December, 1971. The past 48 years embodied glory of a nation founded by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who established the foundations of its social and administrative renaissance, through a series of achievements at home and abroad.

“These achievements were made by a man who was predestined to lead the development journey of his nation. Sheikh Zayed led the process of construction, progress and renaissance. He was a loyal leader to his people, and as kind to his people as a father is to his children.

“He and the UAE rulers have achieved key successes and had the faith and wisdom, which reflected in developing our country.

“I am delighted that we are marking the 48th National Day as our economy is growing stronger, culminating in the largest budget in the history of our country, in 2020. One-third of this budget will be devoted to social development and the strategy of preparing the country for the post oil era in 50 years.

“The UAE’s business environment has remained attractive for investors, with many exhibitions being held and millions of people visiting every year. Dubai’s victory in hosting the Expo 2020 has also boosted the country’s economic growth.

“We also look at sustainable energy and the green economy as being in line with the ambitious future visions of the UAE.

“This year also saw a landmark event and a milestone, which is the journey of the first Emirati astronaut to the International Space Station, the first Arab astronaut to travel to the station. This journey is a new Arab achievement and a message about the importance of science and knowledge and their role in achieving a sustainable development of societies and humanity.

“This year also witnessed another important event in the march of the federal state, the Federal National Council, FNC, elections, a continuation of what began in 2006 with the election of half of the members of the council.

“One of these achievements is the belief of the wise leadership that political participation is an integral part of the progress of the state and its comprehensive development. The representation of Emirati women in the FNC has also raised to 50 percent, aiming to consolidate the leading role of Emirati women across various sectors and developmental fields, after proving their ability and competency to take on responsibility in all fields.

“What has been achieved under the Union does not require confirmation or proof that the UAE has achieved the impossible, something that every citizen is proud of and makes him or her proud of their homeland and honour their leadership.

“Following the Union, the country has taken great care to provide stability for its citizens and their families by fulfilling their desires and aspirations, activating the role of service and humanitarian institutions, developing the performance of the government and continuously conducting field follow-ups for each large and small institution for a more prosperous and stable tomorrow. This can also been seen in the support given to all segments of the society, especially the most vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, the People of Determination, orphans, widows, and the needy through humanitarian aid and the sponsoring of charitable projects.

“The UAE has been established by its youth and their determination, and the youth are the mainstay of today and the future of tomorrow. The country fulfilled its promise when it introduced youth councils in the seven emirates and allowed them to assume responsibility.

“The continuation of development and progress can be achieved through loyalty to the wise leadership, dedication to the homeland and by preserving the principles and traditions that we inherited from the previous generations. This can also be achieved through cohesion and solidarity, and by upholding the value of work and production, no matter how great the challenges and difficulties are.”

Source: Emirates News Agency