Dubai UAE
Sallam Sallam
The Ministries of Community Development, Climate Change & Environment and Alliances for Global Sustainability signed a memorandum of understanding concerning circular economy, an economy that aims at eliminating waste and encourages the continual use of resources by keeping them in the economy for as long as possible. The memorandum of understanding comes after the UAE government announced, in cooperation with the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, a cooperation which led to the UAE being the first signatory to the ‘scale 360’ initiative, which aims at moving towards a more circular economy.
The memorandum of understanding signed by Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability(AGS), Her Excellency Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, and His Excellency Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zayoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, is a collaboration benefiting the mutual interests of all parties and is in line with the UAE’s vision.
On this occasion, Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability (AGS), said: “Signing this memorandum of understanding is testimony to the UAE’s intent to endeavour towards a circular economy. Only through encouraging cohesion between the private, public and third sectors can we achieve the sustainable development goals.”
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan added: “As the CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability and a lifelong advocate of sustainability, I’m both excited and honoured to work alongside the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. We aim to continue to be an industry-leading conduit between the various sectors by providing them with innovative technologies and solutions that can create a tangible impact on ESG. I am forming partnerships across the sectors that AGS operates in, one such organisation we are happy to have partnered with is Globechain. I believe through this technology platform we will create social and environmental impact in the UAE and wider region.”
Furthermore, Her Excellency Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid Minister of Community Development, stated that the joint memorandum of understanding is an indicator of the government’s partnership for a sustainable development future, enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness in various fields, reflecting its position as a global hub for economic and technological innovation in line with the UAE vision 2021 and centennial strategy 2071.
Her Excellency Hessa Bint Essa Buhmaid, indicated that circular economy is an innovative business model for a sustainable life, achieved in reality in an effort to translate strategic directives into practical initiatives through the creation of a qualified environment and sustainable infrastructure that supports the growth of economic, social and environmental sectors in order to serve humanity, create more employment opportunities in the near future based on sustainable and innovative development.
For his part, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “Sustainable production and consumption across the board is integral to the UAE’s overarching strategies. To achieve this priority, the country’s leadership is driving a transition towards a circular economy that considerably improves the efficiency of using and re-using resources. Government entities have joined forces with the private sector to expedite the shift and ensure it fulfills its wider purpose.”
He added: “In this context, we signed the MoU that mandates all three parties to develop joint initiatives and programs that promote circular economy in line with the country’s sustainability endeavors as well as the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 and UAE Centennial 2071.”
The memorandum of understanding aims to further develop the circular economy in the UAE by supporting micro-projects for young people, spreading and disseminating information to the community, and activating the “Globechain” platform. Additionally, the three parties aim to deliver increased support to sustainability in the UAE by developing joint projects and initiatives that best serve the public interests of the UAE.
The Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment strive to continue to announce more partnerships with organisations like Alliances for Global Sustainability. The Ministry of Community Development are actively engaging with NGO’s and non-profits to encourage more registrations on the Globechain platform to ensure that these organisations receive access to the sustainable resources, whereas the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment are responsible for seeking out partnerships that align with the UAE’s agenda to move to a more circular economy.
