Mansour Bin Zayed Reviews Strategy Of Emirates Council For Balanced Development – UrduPoint

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 27th Jan, 2025) His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, has reviewed the strategy of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development that aims to foster robust economic growth, enhance the overall well-being of Emirati citizens, and ensure a dignified standard of living for all, regardless of their location within the country.

H.H. Sheikh Mansour discussed with H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, the key pillars of the strategy, the mechanisms of its implementation, as well as the future projects through which the Council seeks to develop more villages and regions and enhance their economic and tourism potential in alignment with the unique nature of each region.

H.H. Sheikh Mansour emphasised the UAE leadership’s commitment to providing everything necessary to achieve social stability, improve the quality of life, and fulfill the needs and requirements of UAE citizens in all regions of the country. This effort, he stressed, strengthens the inclusiveness of sustainable development, ensures its benefits are reaped, and directly reflects on the lives of UAE citizens and all families and individuals within the UAE community.

H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed said that achieving development goals, enhancing quality of life, and realising sustainable development requires a synergistic approach. This, he said, necessitates the unification of efforts, robust collaboration between government entities and private sector institutions, and meaningful engagement with the residents of the regions undergoing development.

He added, “The Council’s projects are proceeding in line with the wise leadership’s vision to create a sustainable development model that aligns with comprehensive and sustainable national development efforts, while considering the unique characteristics and nature of the various regions within the country to maximise the utilisation of their human potential and natural resources.”

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Mansour reviewed the strategy, which focuses on all operational and practical aspects, outlining various strategic initiatives, goals, and updates aimed at accelerating progress and achievement. The strategy also emphasises the enhancement of facilities and services in villages and regions, aiming to transform them into premier tourist destinations and thriving hubs of development within the country.

The strategy places significant emphasis on sustainability initiatives and social responsibility by relying on a comprehensive set of metrics and key performance indicators to track the progress of strategic initiatives and measure their outcomes. The Council’s strategy is built on an integrated framework aimed at developing balanced development projects, managing their progress, coordinating with relevant ministries and local authorities on development plans for villages and regions, determining timelines for implementation, and approving proposed partnership opportunities with the private sector, particularly national companies.

The projects of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development’s aim to improve the quality of life across all regions of the country and establish a sustainable development model that provides economic and investment opportunities, ensuring social stability and a dignified life for the residents of these areas. This is achieved by focusing on developmental pillars, launching commercial and economic projects to harness the potential of young people, and raising awareness about the historical and archaeological significance of the areas being developed as an essential part of the UAE’s history.

The Council’s strategy is underpinned by four key pillars to drive comprehensive growth in rural areas, encompassing economic, social, tourism, and cultural development:

-The Economic Pillar aims to create diversified micro-economies through an integrated set of programmes, such as “Productive Farms,” “Support for Creative & Handicraft Industries,” and the ‘Job Opportunity’ Programme, which aims to generate employment opportunities for residents of rural areas.

-The Social Pillar focuses on strengthening family and social cohesion. Several targets under this pillar were announced during the Annual Government Meetings, including:

*Young Government Leaders Programme, which aims to develop and support youth activities and hobbies, alongside the establishment of sports facilities that will engage more than 50,000 participants.
*A programme for supporting UAE Senior Citizens, which organises activities and initiatives to pass on the experiences of senior citizens to future generations and provides ten spaces offering social, health, recreational, and sports services for them.
*The Family Cohesion Support Programme, which aims at enhancing family bonds, mental health, and supporting women, alongside the launch of educational platforms targeting over 1,000 participants.
*The “UAE Majlis Programme, which aims to build 10 community centres in villages and regions to host social events.

-The Tourism Pillar aims to create tourist destinations and organise unique festivals and events through the Emirates Villages Project and the Tourism Support Fund.

-The Cultural Pillar focuses on enhancing heritage and local culture by promoting, documenting, and preserving the cultural and historical depth of villages and rural areas. This includes designing cultural tourism experiences with the participation of local residents, developing the skills and products of artisans, and documenting the historical significance of various region and traditions in collaboration with universities and students. Additionally, the Cultural Pillar involves activating public spaces to create interactive artistic environments inspired by the region’s culture and nature.

To achieve the Council’s ambitious strategy, a series of media campaigns will be launched to highlight the most significant features and landmarks of the developed areas and villages, thereby strengthening their presence on the domestic tourism map. This will be accompanied by enhanced collaboration with various partners in the public and private sectors.

It is worth noting that the Emirates Villages Project was launched in November 2022 to develop a sustainable development model and create economic and investment opportunities that ensure social stability and a decent quality of life. The Qidfa Region Development Project in Fujairah was launched in January 2023 as the first initiative under the Emirates Villages Project, within the context of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development’s strategy to develop remote areas through a sustainable development model. In June of the same year, the Masfout Development Project in Ajman was initiated by the Emirates Council for Balanced Development to establish a sustainable development model and create new economic and investment opportunities to ensure social stability and decent living for the community.

Within the framework of its community outreach initiatives, launched by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed in 2024, the Council has implemented several community initiatives and programmes.