Day: July 29, 2021

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Hamdan bin Mohammed issues Resolution on waivers and reductions of fees for a total of 88 government services

DUBAI, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, issued Executive Council Resolution No. (19) 2021 on waivers and reductions of fees for a total of 88 services provided by various Dubai Government entities. The move aims to ease financial pressures faced by businesses and further raise Dubai’s attractiveness as a business and investment hub.

The waivers and reductions relate to fees for services provided by Dubai Land Department, Dubai Maritime City Authority, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai Courts, Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The decision is part of a series of initiatives undertaken by the government to stimulate economic growth in the emirate as well as promote competitiveness, lower living costs, improve the business environment and support investors.

According to the Resolution, the Dubai Maritime City Authority will waive some fees related to various types of residency visas including processing of residency visas for applicants outside the country, issuance of employment residency visas, urgent renewals of residency visas and residency visa transfers from a government entity to the Authority, among others.

Dubai Municipality will waive a number of fees related to permits for labour supplies rooms, re-issuance of cheques, urgent medical certificates and renewal of occupational health card, among others.

Fees that will be waived by Dubai Tourism include those for tourism permits and replacement of lost tourism permits, tourism permits for people under 16 years, and permits for fashion shows, among others.

Fees waived by RTA include those for issuing non-objection letters for transfer of traffic file, permits for closing roads for major construction works and fees related to recreational bikes, among others.

Dubai Land Department will waive fees related to replacement of broker cards for real estate agents, and amendment of information on real estate brokers, among others.

Dubai Courts will waive fees for obtaining certified copies of rulings of civil cases.

The Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 also reduces fees charged by some government entities. Dubai Economy will reduce fees related to issuing and renewing licenses of business centres, and issuance of licenses for providing government services, among others.

Dubai Maritime City Authority will reduce fees related to issuance and renewal of annual representative office licenses and replacement of lost certificates and licenses, among others.

Meanwhile, DHA has reduced the fees for medical fitness certificates for maritime activities.

The Resolution also authorises heads of government entities to take decisions to reduce or waive any payments other than fees imposed for its services and products, subject to prior approval from the Department of Finance in Dubai. Cancellation or reduction of such payments has to be formalised by the enactment of a legislation and its publication in the Official Gazette.

Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The Resolution annuls any other legislation that may contradict it.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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UAE pledges AED 367 million to support education of women and girls around the world

ABU DHABI, The UAE has announced a pledge of AED 367 million (US$100 million) to the Global Partnership for Education )GPE( to support the strategic plan for educational programmes in developing countries, over the coming five years (2021-2025).

This came during the participation of Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, in the GPE Replenishment Summit organised by the United Kingdom and Kenya and the GPE to renew pledges on 28th and 29th July 2021 in London.

In her remarks, Reem Al Hashemy affirmed the UAE’s keenness and sustained efforts to provide quality education to children around the world. She also underscored the UAE’s determination to work in cooperation with its regional and international partners, such as the GPE, to develop the skills women, girls, and youth need for long-term success, in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.

Al Hashemy also emphasised the UAE’s firm belief in the pivotal role of education in supporting the sustainable development of societies around the world. This belief, Al Hashemy noted, has driven the UAE to host the RewirEd Global Education Summit in partnership with Dubai Cares and Expo 2020 Dubai and in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

RewirEd will be held at Expo 2020 Dubai with a clear vision to reshape the educational landscape for a prosperous, sustainable, innovative, and accessible future for all while showcasing the country’s development aid.

Moreover, Al Hashemy highlighted the key role of UAE foreign aid in nurturing international partnerships to support key sector development in developing and least developed countries, with education as a priority.

The UAE is working to ensure the provision of education to women and girls to support the fourth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda, Al Hashemy explained, adding that the UAE also plays a prominent role in advancing the efforts undertaken by the GPE.

Al Hashemy noted that many partner countries need support to enhance their national education systems, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, which had major implications on the continuity of education in many countries that lack the appropriate infrastructure to provide e-learning.

In 2018, the UAE pledged US$100 million to support the GPE at the 3rd replenishment conference in Dakar, Senegal, becoming the first Arab and Middle Eastern member in GPE.

The Global Partnership for Education is the largest global fund solely dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries. Established in 2003, the programme works in partnership with donors, governments in developing countries, international organisations, the private sector, teacher associations, and civil society institutions.

Source: Emirates News Agency