The newly formed council aims to enhancing federal and local institutional integration to combat illicit drug trafficking…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE government has formed a new federal body to combat drug trafficking, facilitate early detection of drug abuse and provide psychological and medical support for addicts.
The National Council Against Drugs has been formed after getting approval from UAE Cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The Council, chaired by H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is responsible to develop a national drug control strategy, including prevention, awareness-raising, provision of medical and psychological treatment, and strengthening of community and functional integration mechanisms for recovered-addicts.
Sheikh Mohammed said, “The Council aims at combating drug trafficking, enhancing international cooperation in drug control, strengthening cooperation between ministries, local entities and security institutions, and providing early detection and psychological and medical support for addicts.”
The newly formed council aims to enhancing federal and local institutional integration to combat illicit drug trafficking, following-up on the implementation of plans and policies to combat the collection and smuggling of narcotic drugs through all UAE borders.
The Council will work on promoting international cooperation and outreach to global drug portfolio stakeholders and institutions, and reviewing existing legislation and propose necessary amendments and submit them to the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, the UAE cabinet also approved the UAE National Sports Strategy 2031, which aims to promote community wellbeing, through encouraging community members to exercise, increasing the percentage of people practicing different kinds of sports to 71 percent.
Sheikh Mohammed said: “The goal is to develop the skills of sports professionals, discover new talented athletes in schools through updating the sports education methodology and sports law.”
The Strategy will implement 17 initiatives in the coming years, achieving a number of goals, including developing the skills of sports professionals, discovering new talented athletes in schools, updating the sports education methodology and sports law, and increase the percentage of people practicing different kinds of sports to 71 percent, qualifying more than 30 athletes for the Olympic Games, and the sports sector contribution of 0.5 percent of non-oil GDP.
The Cabinet also adopted a policy organising the market of energy services companies in the country. The policy aims to consolidate the mechanisms of doing business, financing and partnerships with the private sector. The policy clarifies the contractual framework between all parties and the various contracting mechanisms.
In addition, the policy will encourage private sector companies to invest in government projects, with the aim of reducing energy and water consumption in government buildings, contributing to clean energy by 5 percent, promoting the sustainability of buildings by an approximate 5-10 percent, and decreasing the demand of energy in building sector to 51 percent by 2050.
