The UAE Ministerial Development Council presided over by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, discussed a number of programmes and initiatives to enhance the performance of the federal entities, in addition to a number of topics in government affairs.

During the meeting, the Council discussed a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Education to develop continuing education centres with the aim of providing various educational opportunities.

The proposal also suggested diversifying continuing education programmes and linking them to individual and national needs, in addition to increasing the efficiency of the current centres. It aims to connect academic education with vocational training and diversify the options available to students.

Continuing education centres currently provide educational programmes for all residents of the UAE, both Emiratis and expatriates, notably for those who are over the school age or who did not complete secondary schooling.

The Ministerial Development Council also discussed the adoption of the National Standard Classification of Disabilities in the UAE to serve as a national reference to be used by all involved entities providing services to people of determination.

The national classification is in line with the Federal Government's strategy and Vision 2021, which aims to move from providing welfare to achieving social development. The classification also seeks to provide a reliable reference to all federal, local, and private entities and it includes the classification and categories of people of determination according to the latest classifications adopted worldwide and to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, People of Determination.

In the legislative affairs, the Council discussed the executive regulations of Federal Law No. 01 of 2017 on anti-dumping actions and countervailing and preventive measures aimed at providing the legislative environment capable of protecting national industries and encouraging them to invest further and develop their competitiveness to achieve economic diversification in the UAE.

The law enables manufacturers in the UAE to apply for necessary protection against harmful practices in international trade, such as dumping or any other unlawful international trade practices that affect the national Industry in the UAE or the GCC region.

The Ministerial Development Council also reviewed during its session a number of financial and governmental reports and statistics, which included the unified report of the government’s economic statistics for the fiscal year 2016, together with the reports of the Audit Bureau on the final accounts for the fiscal year 2016 for the General Authority for Pensions and Social Security, Emirates Credit Information Company, Emirates Real Estate Corporation and Emirates General Petroleum Corporation.

The Council also discussed a number of issues related to the development of government services and government work in ministries and federal entities, as well as other topics on its agenda.

Source: Wam