Post-COVID-19 UAE will focus on health, economy: Mohammed

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, praised the national humanitarian stances of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, related to handling the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reflecting the UAE’s humanitarian and civilised image.

He made this statement during his video speech at the start of a remote meeting of the UAE Government, held under the title, “Preparations for the Post-COVID-19 Period,” which was attended by ministers, secretaries-general of executive councils, and officials from over 100 federal and local authorities.

The meeting aimed to discuss the UAE’s strategy for the post-COVID-19 period, reinforce the readiness of federal and local sectors, and develop efficient tools and mechanisms to handle the issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, such as the resulting economic, social and developmental effects and challenges.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid welcomed the participants and praised their efforts to improve government working to meet the current requirements, under the framework of a future vision for harnessing efforts, expertise and intellects to create a coherent and advanced government work system.

He spoke to the participants, stating, “Today, we have the federal government team and local government teams, and I like to call you the UAE team. The aim is to draft a national plan for the post-COVID-19 period, a plan that will ensure that the country will recover and develop the quickest.”

“Today, our aim is not only to protect people’s health but also to protect our economy, achievements and living standards. I trust you completely. The key mission today is to facilitate the country’s recovery to be faster than any other country,” he said.

Sheikh Mohammed praised the efforts of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, stressing, “We have been endowed with a brother, friend and leader, Mohamed Bin Zayed. This crisis has demonstrated your great character in front of everyone, both friends and enemies. You are the pride of all of us.”

The three-day meeting will involve discussion and interactive sessions, as part of the UAE’s strategy for the post-COVID-19 period, through a systematic, comprehensive and integrated approach, in theory. In practice, the strategy involves business plans, policies, mechanisms and tools for its implementation, to ensure the short, medium and long-term development of the UAE’s governmental work system and enable the country to meet current and future economic and social challenges.

It also aims to monitor current developments and respond to the urgent needs of economic, social and services sectors affected by the global pandemic, as well as establish forward-looking economic policies to help preserve the UAE’s economic and development gains over five decades since its foundation.

The meeting will cover the immediate and future repercussions of the novel coronavirus and ways of advancing the UAE’s economic system, ensuring economic recovery, and rebuilding the government work system to be able to deal with the current reality with flexibility, as well as exploring new economic and development opportunities, benefitting from the relevant experiences of major global economies, investigating deficiencies and slowdowns in some governmental sectors, examining their causes and finding solutions, and creating new working mechanisms for promoting a future mindset.

The meeting focuses on six major sectors, which are health, education, the economy, food security, society and the government. Over 100 ministers and government officials, as well as leading international economists and specialists in government and strategic planning, are participating in intensive discussion sessions, to review the future visions of relevant sectors and the key challenges and priorities that the government will have to deal with.

The participants are also discussing the most relevant tools and methodologies that will achieve the desired results while assessing urgent priorities and future challenges and drafting practical plans and policies to deal with the latest developments to consolidate the pivotal role of the UAE economy in the region and maintain its position in global competitiveness indexes.

WAM