AD CP receives organisers of Special Olympics

ABU DHABI: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, yesterday received the Higher Committee and the organisers of the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019.

While receiving the delegations at the Qasr Al Bahr Majlis, Sheikh Mohamed said that the efforts of the event’s Higher Committee, organisers, local and international volunteers, partners and supporters represented the UAE’s civility and its stature in organising and hosting such international events, according to the highest international standards.

“Thank you to all who contributed to achieving the goals of the Olympics and delivering the UAE’s humanitarian message to the world about the importance of solidarity with people of determination and empowering them in their communities, which will enable them to participate and be active,” he said.

Sheikh Mohamed  added that the success of the UAE’s hosting of the Special Olympics crowns its efforts to empower people of determination, integrate them into the community, and activate their overall role in the national job market, as they are partners in achieving the country’s development and advancement while asserting that supporting people of determination has become part of the country’s strategic plans.

Food security

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has approved Dhs5.6 billion in support of the Research and Development, R&D, scheme as part of the Ghadan 21 programme.

Sheikh Mohamed directed the Executive Committee of the Executive Council to build international partnerships that would accelerate Abu Dhabi’s endeavours to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing the world, particularly water scarcity, food security and Artificial Intelligence.

The Executive Committee was also tasked to develop a comprehensive strategy to expand the scope of R&D, in line with international standards, in addition to developing the regulatory framework for research in all sectors, in a way that would provide benefits to the community as a whole.

The Abu Dhabi Government and Xprize Foundation have signed a strategic agreement to grow Abu Dhabi’s research and development, R&D, ecosystem. The partnership is a major Ghadan 21 initiative to grow Abu Dhabi’s R&D ecosystem with a commitment of Dhs300 million (US$81 million) to crowdsource innovation via a series of Xprize Abu Dhabi global competitions.

Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Executive Committee, witnessed the signing of the agreement between the Abu Dhabi Government and the Xprize Foundation, the global leader in incentivized prize competitions, in the presence of a number of government leaders and strategic partners.  The agreement is the largest government partnership to date for Xprize.

President of Uzbekistan

Sheikh Mohamed  and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, yesterday witnessed at the Presidential Palace the ceremony of exchange of protocols, Memoranda of Understanding and programmes for strengthening joint partnerships and opening up new avenues for joint cooperation between the two countries. The two sides signed an agreement to grant a plot of land for building the embassy of Uzbekistan in the UAE; a cooperation protocol on mutual visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports, a cooperation programme between the ministries of foreign affairs for the period from 2019 to 2021 and a protocol for technical cooperation between the ministries of foreign affairs.

Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Abdulaziz Kamilov, Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs, exchanged the agreements.

A cooperation protocol on manpower and domestic helpers was exchanged by Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and Elyor Ganiev, Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister.

Ali Saeed Matar Al Neyadi, Customs Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Customs Authority, and Elyor Ganiev, Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister, exchanged an agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters.

WAM