H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, led the 3rd meeting of the Coordinating Council of Municipal Affairs held recently at the headquarters of the Department of Municipal Affairs in Abu Dhabi in the presence of members of the Board.
The meeting discussed various topics of common interest, such as recent developments in the implementation of Federal Law No. (110) of 2009 on tobacco and its executive regulations, the UAE Building Code and the addressing scheme, and the 18th GCC Municipality Ministers Meeting in Kuwait held from September 16 to 18, 2014.
H.E. Dr. Bin Fahd, who is Chairman of the Coordinating Committee for Municipal Affairs, explained during the meeting’s opening that achieving the targets of the national agenda for UAE Vision 2021 depends on unifying nation-wide efforts related to environmental areas and all other fields. He said that the experiences of municipalities around the country and joint cooperation will guide the process of transforming the UAE into a sustainable green economy in accordance with the directives of the national agenda ensuring a sustainable environment for citizens and for the integrated infrastructure. He added that the municipalities of the UAE are the most important components of innovative approaches towards sustainability.
The meeting also touched on the Northern Emirates’ waste project, recent developments regarding national indicators on air quality, waste treatment in the UAE, and the volume of waste generated by municipalities. The importance of protecting and developing fisheries and the role of municipalities in maintaining this wealth as one of the most important local biotic resources for supporting food security in the UAE as well as the regulation of the hunting and trade of sharks in the state were also discussed.
For his part, H.E. Saeed Eid Al Ghafli, Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs in Abu Dhabi, emphasized the vital role played by the Ministry through the Coordinating Council of Municipal Affairs in unifying strategies for municipal work and environmental practices across the UAE. Al Ghafli added that close collaboration among the UAE’s municipalities enhances the competitiveness of the municipal sector, contributes to the fulfillment of the national development agenda, and helps achieve the government’s goal of uplifting the UAE’s global status of excellence in all areas and services it provides to its community members.
Dr. Bin added how it is important for all municipalities to adopt the sub-indices of the environmental performance index related to municipal work. He emphasized the need to harmonize the strategic plans of municipalities and their indicators with the Ministry’s Strategic Plan. He highlighted the ministry's commitment to achieving the strategic direction of promoting environmental sustainability through the continued implementation of key initiatives such as the transformation into a green economy, improvements to environmental performance, the effective management and protection of ecosystems through policy development, capacity building, and further development of joint programs and projects.
The Coordinating Council of Municipal Affairs specializes in coordinating the municipal implementation of projects at the national level. It ensures cooperation in the formulation and implementation of regulations and policies affecting municipal services. The Council ensures that federal agencies and municipalities work in harmony to exchange experiences and best practices in the field of municipal work and coordinates the representation of the UAE in international forums and conferences related to municipal affairs.