His Excellency Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, today presided over the 23rd Meeting of GCC Ministers of Municipal Affairs, virtually hosted by the UAE.

In his opening speech, His Excellency Dr Al Nuaimi said: “Municipal work in the GCC region has advanced significantly to keep pace with the future-oriented visions of the countries. However, the exceptional circumstances we face due to the COVID-19 pandemic mandate that we align the legislative, information-sharing, and municipal control frameworks in GCC countries to establish a unified protocol for handling such crises in the future.”

The Minister highlighted the importance of benefiting from successful regional and global experiences and best practices in the field that correspond with the objectives of the common protocol.

He added: “The UAE’s modus operandi for tackling global crises is to transform challenges into opportunities for growth and development. We encourage other GCC countries to follow the same approach while dealing with the outbreak to ensure fast and effective recovery, and build a better future for the current and next generations.”

The meeting explored a variety of topics, including updates on the decision of the Supreme Council of the GCC on common municipal work strategy and the decision of the GCC Ministerial Council on strategic urban planning. In addition, it reviewed the efforts and plans of municipal authorities to address the impacts of the pandemic on their cities.

The agenda also included the progress in developing municipal legislation and control mechanisms, upcoming municipal work conferences, municipal databases, and a plan for municipal work training workshops and programs. Furthermore, the participants discussed recommendations on sharing experience, expertise, and information, as well as a proposal by the Secretariat General of the GCC regarding contractor classification.