UAE, ICAO to develop global civil aviation, cyber security

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

The UAE government has signed a strategic partnership aiming to exchange best practices, knowledge and expertise in aviation and cyber security with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during the World Government Summit (WGS2022) in Dubai, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit Organization signed the agreement along with Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, in the presence of several UAE government and ICAO officials.

The agreement focuses on accelerators and innovation in civil aviation, online security and development modules, while supporting the exchange of expertise which supports the global aviation sector.

Mohammed Al Gergawi said that the UAE is keen on promoting mutual work and positive impact between governments, reflecting its leadership’s approach to transferring the UAE’s knowledge and successful business models, ensuring the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

He  added: “The UAE government’s approach has become an international model for shaping the future and designing innovative solutions to tackle global challenges.

He emphasized that the partnership with ICAO is yet another step towards empowering global human capital in the civil aviation sector – one of the UAE’s primary sectors which hosts some of the largest and most successful airlines around the world.

Gergawi commended the training programs and advanced tech support the UAE provides to several nations to enhance aviation security and safety.

For his part, Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, highlighted the importance of having frameworks in place to facilitate partnerships between international organisations and governments, leveraging shared knowledge to find solutions for challenges societies are facing.

The UAE secured membership of the ICAO Council for the fifth consecutive time in September 2019, which was the result of the country’s approach in implementing many initiatives in partnership with the ICAO Council, including assisting several missions related to COVID-19, and bilateral cooperation on the recently established Global Aviation Award.

WGS 2022, hosted at Expo 2020 Dubai, brought together government leaders, ministers, senior officials, decision-, policymakers and specialists across economic, social, technological and financial sectors from around the world to exchange experiences, knowledge and ideas that contribute to promoting development and prosperity around the world to forge new models of agile governance.

The Summit, succeeded in hosting more than 4,000 senior government officials, experts and leaders of the private sector to explore the future of governments in more than 110 dialogue and interactive sessions.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Arab Youth Center (AYC) has signed a cooperation agreement to launch the second edition of the Youth Development Delegates Programme in the Arab Region, in the presence of Shamma Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Vice President of the AYC, Dr Khalida Bouzar, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States, and Saeed Al Nazari, Director General The Federal Youth Foundation, and Chief Strategy Officer at the Arab Youth Center.

Under the agreement, UNDP will appoint a second cohort of young people to work in its country offices in 13 Arab countries, with the aim of promoting their inclusion of in development work and empowering them with experience in various areas of development in the region.

“Through the Youth Development Delegates Programme, young Arabs will be embedded in UNDP offices to acquire new skills, develop their knowledge and networks, and harness their learning experiences to implement initiatives that benefit them, their countries, and the whole Arab region,” Said, HE Shamma Al Mazrui. “We believe that youth can play important and pivotal roles in the development process, and that they are most capable of advancing development, tackling priority issues for their countries to address political, economic and social challenges.”

AYC and UNDP will continue their partnership to achieve their common vision of working with young people to enable them to be partners in development and help develop in their countries and the Arab region.

“Youth are vital partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is important that we continue to support and enable them so that they can contribute to local and global development,” stressed Dr Khalida Bouzar. “Delegates of the previous cohort have strengthened UNDP’s youth programming and brought energy and innovation to country- and regional-level work. We look forward to welcoming the new cohort and to continuing our fruitful partnership with the Arab Youth Center.”