UAE genome project makes great strides
1,000 PROFESSIONALS MAP COUNTRY’S GENETIC AND HEREDITARY DISEASES
We encourage everyone to cooperate with this comprehensive national medical programme to make our community healthier and our future generations stronger.”
The Emirati Genome Programme has successfully collected over 600,000 samples from across the country so far, and efforts are under way to expand this to one million samples, revealed His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as he chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, yesterday.
Reviewing the achievements of the Emirates Genome Council, Shaikh Mohammad said: “More than 1,000 of our medical professionals have been trained to support this programme. The contribution of over 600,000 citizens to this programme ensures the development of a clear map of genetic and hereditary diseases in the country, aiding in the creation of targeted treatments for these diseases. This will result in better and stronger health care for future generations. We encourage everyone to cooperate with this comprehensive national medical
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
programme to make our community healthier and our future generations stronger.”
Premarital screening
He added that an experimental launch of premarital screening to cover all genetic and hereditary diseases will take place in the coming period. “The UAE Genome Council has made significant strides in establishing the country’s global scientific position in this field and utilising this new science to develop comprehensive and integrated health care for new generations,” he said.
The UAE Cabinet yesterday approved the issuance of a new federal traffic law to adapt to the increasing use of self-driving vehicles, electric cars and other forms of personal mobility.
This came during a Cabinet meeting chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.
The Cabinet meeting was attended by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lt Gen Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and other ministers.
The legislation provisions include the classification of vehicles, general obligations of drivers, categories excluded from obtaining driving licences, conditions for granting licences, suspension of driving licenses and permits, driving schools, vehicle insurance and inspection, and obligations related to self-driving vehicles.
UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry
The Cabinet approved a decision to form an inter-ministerial team headed by the Ministry of Economy, with the membership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, to re-develop the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Shaikh Mohammad said: “We also approved the formation of a working team led by the Ministry of Economy to develop the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry. This aims to chart a new path for its role in enhancing the economy, opening markets, building new partnerships with the world, and enabling our local companies to enter global markets.”
Communicable diseases
The Cabinet approved a federal law on combating communicable diseases. It details provisions to establish a legislative framework on prevention, monitoring, reporting, and handling according to their nature, severity, and spread of each disease. The new law builds on the UAE’s expertise in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Protection of tourists
The Cabinet approved the UAE’s commitment to the principles and recommendations of the International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) to be used as a guiding manual. The code, prepared by the UN’s World Tourism Organisation, aims to accelerate tourism recovery after the pandemic.
UAE-Italy conference
The Cabinet also approved the hosting of the UAE-Italy bilateral conference this year, aimed at opening avenues for scientific cooperation between UAE University and Italian universities in research and applications of advanced materials in the fields of energy, environment, and health.
Bankruptcy law
The Cabinet approved a decision on the Executive Regulations
of the federal decree-law concerning financial restructuring and bankruptcy. Its provisions include defining the federal and local competent authority to execute the law’s provisions and its implementing resolutions, as well as specifying the format and data to be enclosed in the records of individuals subject to judicial decisions imposing or lifting any restrictions ordered by the court, and controls and procedures of preventive settlement.
We approved the formation of a working team led by the Ministry of Economy to develop the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry. This aims to chart a new path for its role in enhancing the economy, opening markets, building new partnerships with the world, and enabling our local companies to enter global markets.”
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Cross-border licensing of financial products in GCC
The Cabinet approved a decision to adopt the regulatory framework for cross-border licensing of financial products between market regulators in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
The Cabinet empowered the Board of Directors of the Securities and Commodities Authority to approve the crossborder licensing regulations to be agreed upon by the regulators after the regulatory framework comes into effect.
Etihad Rail board
The Cabinet approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of Etihad Rail for three years, chaired by Shaikh Theyab Bin Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Cabinet also approved the reconstitution of the UAE Circular Economy Council, chaired by Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, and the UAE Youth Council for a renewable one-year term.