Day: June 25, 2021

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Department of Community Development highlights parents’ role in drugs prevention

ABU DHABI, The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi (DCD) has said that it will intensify efforts to combat drugs through collaborations with the civic sector, calling it a key priority for the entity.

The message was conveyed on the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which is observed on 26th June each year. This year’s theme is “Committed to our Homeland. Drugs are a Crime”.

Dr. Bushra Al Mulla, Executive Director of the Community Development Sector at the DCD, reached out to the community for support in fighting against the scourge, saying that “adolescence is a critical time for preventing drug addiction”.

She highlighted the critical role parents could play in preventing substance abuse among youth, urging them to pay adequate attention to their children and help them deal with strong feelings, emotions, stress; monitor them on social media and other matters, and educate them about the danger of drugs.

Al Mulla said that DCD conducts studies and run surveys and works to enhance the quality of life in Abu Dhabi through identifying and addressing the needs and aspirations of community members.

She also appreciated the government and individual institutions in the country that have adopted various initiatives to spreading awareness on the consequences of substance abuse and how to prevent or avoid addiction. She also praised the proactive role of the police in combating drugs and drug trafficking through unique methods that ensure the utmost security and safety of the community.

DCD in partnership with relevant government and private entities supports these efforts and identifies appropriate ways to deal with cases of addiction, such as hospitalisation and rehabilitation.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sorbonne University sign agreement to support education in Africa

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) has signed a cooperation agreement with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) to support the education sector in a number of African countries.

In a virtual ceremony held recently, the agreement was signed by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, and Prof. Silvia Serrano, Vice-Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

The agreement comes in line with the UAE’s efforts to strengthen and support the education sector in several African nations by providing 60 undergraduate full scholarships for qualified students from French-speaking African countries to pursue their studies at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

This agreement, which comes against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, is considered an opportunity for such countries to build the competencies of their human capital, which is the primary pillar for development. It will also empower African youth to build a better future and contribute to achieving the sustainable development of their countries and local communities.

The agreement is expected to take effect in September 2021, allowing students to enrol in the 2021/2022 academic year.

Commenting on the agreement, Prof. Serrano said, “With this initiative, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is pleased to be able to contribute to the pivotal role that the UAE plays in developing the global education landscape, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this cooperation will have on enhancing the educational and professional development of human capital in African countries.”

“I am confident that through this agreement, we will empower youth and contribute to the development of their intellectual capacity by allowing them to receive a world-class education that will have a major impact on their future and the long-term roles they will play in the economic development of their native countries,” she added.

Providing these scholarships for partner countries is part of the UAE’s Foreign Aid Policy, which aims to support the government in building the capacities of countries and developing their national human capital.

Through its Technical Assistance Programme (UAETAP), the UAE works to implement programmes to support developing countries by facilitating technical cooperation activities that draw upon the lessons learnt from the UAE’s developmental experience.

UAETAP provides its services in cooperation with the competent UAE government and business institutions. In addition, the UAE works in close collaboration with donor countries and international partners to provide technical cooperation programmes for beneficiary countries.

Since 2018, approximately 1,694 students from 70 countries, including 650 female students, were registered in scholarship programmes in the UAE’s higher education institutions. Among those were 725 male and female African students in different Emirati universities.

Source: Emirates News Agency