United Arab Emirates

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Qatar’s second National Human Development Report focuses on advancing sustainable development

Qatar’s second National Human Development Report launched today under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Hamad Bin Jabor Bin Jassem Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar examines three critical and pressing environmental challenges facing the emirate, namely, water security; (threats to the marine environment; and the effects of climate change.

The Report underscores major environmental challenges that Qatar faces and that need to be appropriately resolved, particularly achieving water security, reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy efficiency, and mitigating risks that threaten the safety of the marine environment. The Report argues that assessing the severity of risks and handeling required change will entail mobilizing resources, coordinating efforts and putting appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks in place.
The Report concludes with a number of practical and actionable recommendations to advance sustainable development in Qatar.

Download the HDR: Arabic || English

Saturday, january 31, 2009

HIV/AIDS Training Workshop for Religious Leaders

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP – UAE) , in cooperation with Health Authority – Abu Dhabi  (HAAD) organized a training workshop for the religious leaders in the United Arab Emirates on HIV/AIDS titled “ HIV/AIDS training workshop for Religious Leaders”.
Around 50 religious leaders, male and female, attended this workshop, which aimed at raising awareness on HIV/AIDS.

Around 50 participants actively discussed HIV/AIDS issues in the UAE, along with ways to address those issues in their daily tasks as key point players in the society. The religious leaders were also presented a personal experience by a person living with HIV/AIDS, and they were able to discuss the daily challenges and social stigma as well as means to decrease the suffering of PLWH.
The training workshop, which was held for a full day, concluded with recommendations by the participants, who agreed on the importance of follow up sessions and continuous coordination regarding the issue of HIV/AIDS.

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2008

UNDP UAE mobilizes funds towards Gaza

The United Nations Development Programme signed today an agreement with the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation, where by which the Foundation funds through UNDP – Gaza as well as to UNRWA the provision of basic relief materials for Gaza.

The funds will be used to provide urgently needed food, medical and hygiene supplies by people affected from the Israeli Attacks on Gaza.

This generous donation is not unusual from the foundation, which is used to promptly answer humanitarian needs and calls to ease the suffering of the people in need. Many developmental projects worldwide have been implemented as a result of the cooperation of UNDP – UAE and the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation, as well as many relief funds mobilized.

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Wednesday,December 24, 2008

Gender Mainstreaming in the Northern Emirates

UNDP UAE and UNICEF, in cooperation with the Umm Al Moumineen Women Association organized a training workshop in Ajman on Gender Mainstreaming in the Northern Emirates.
The 2 day training workshop is part of the initiative to assist the Umm Al Moumineen Women Association on concentrating its efforts on the establishment of a comprehensive gender mainstreaming programme to effectively achieve its gender development objectives. 

Educators, social workers and civil servants attended the training, which aims to build their capacities in Ajman and neighboring northern emirates through general gender development training , taking into consideration the realities of the Gulf traditions and Islamic values, enabling the participants to become more aware of relevant gender related issues to facilitate the incorporation of a gender perspective in the creation of strategies for change, as well as, gain proficiency in how to engender programmes, regulations and activities within their organizations.

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Monday, December 22, 2008

HIV Challenging the Stigma in the Health Field: A Leadership Course for Health Professionals

The United Nations Development Programme – UAE and Health Authority – Abu Dhabi organized a 2 day training workshop titled “HIV Challenging the Stigma in the Health Field: A Leadership Course for Health Professionals” .
The training, targeted at health professionals, aimed at providing a space for professionals to discuss the stigma in the health field and enabling those professionals to successfully raise the awareness and developing techniques to overcome the obstacles found in society and the medical environment in cases related to HIV/AIDS.
Health professionals attended from different emirates, actively participating in the training that was conducted by experts from HARPAS, the United Nations Development Programme HIV/AIDS Regional Programme for Arab States.
The course’s attendees were given certificates for the completion of the course, which comes as the second training workshop in the UNDP’s Action Abu Dhabi: Transforming the HIV Response in a Rapidly Developing Society, which aims to support the Abu Dhabi Health Authority in its efforts towards creating an enabling environment for the implementation of a sustainable AIDS strategic plan for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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Tuesday, Noveber 4, 2008

"Breaking the Silence" media professionals training workshop on HIV/AIDS

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-UAE) and in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD)organized a workshop on HIV/AIDS for media professionals.

This training workshop came as a part of the Action Abu Dhabi: Transforming the HIV Response in a Rapidly Developing Society project by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-UAE), which aims to support the Abu Dhabi Health Authority in its efforts towards creating an enabling environment for the implementation of a sustainable AIDS strategic plan for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The HIV/AIDS training workshop for the Media, conducted from 2 - 4 November 2008 was the first in a series of planned workshops that will run through 2009. Participants from major printed press and audiovisual media attended the training workshop, which was conducted by consultants from HIV/AIDS Regional Programme of Arab States (HARPAS). The training workshop raised the awareness of the participants on sensitive issues related to HIV/AIDS and debunked negative images of HIV/AIDS.

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Sunday, october 19, 2008

The "Stand Up, Take Action 2008" Campaign concludes with high participation from UAE population.

The 'Stand up and Take Action 2008' campaign, organized by Mission Green Earth and supported by UNDP, concluded late yesterday with one in 11 people of Dubai standing up for the cause of sustainable living and environment and a total of 138,064 people across the UAE joining the Stand Up sessions across the country.

The participants at the Stand Ups took a solemn pledge to pursue sustainable living and remind their government of its commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by formulating sustainable development policies for a greener future and further social responsibility.

The culminating three days of the campaign - October 17, 18 and 19, 2008 - saw a number of group Stand Up sessions. Governmental bodies, including ministries and municipalities of different emirates, humanitarian organisations, leading corporations, schools and universities, hospitals, supermarkets and retail outlets joined thousands of families and private individuals in this symbolic movement against poverty and inequality, with a focus this year on environmental sustainability. The Mission Green Earth campaign has been organised by International Association for human Values (IAHV) and Art of Living (AOL) with the support of UNDP, UNEP, the International Humanitarian City (IHC) and Barclays Bank PLC.

Campaign organisers said the response to the campaign was across the board. The support from governmental institutions was evident from the participation of the Ministry of Environment, municipalities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and a host of others. A number of corporate houses also undertook Stand Up sessions including ETA Ascon, EMKE Group of Abu Dhabi, Al Fara'a Group, BMW, Wafi Group, Jashanmal and Jumbo. Hospitals which will take part in the event include CEDARS - Jebel Ali International Hospital, Mafreq Hospital, Abu Dhabi, Welcare Hospitals and Zulekha Hospitals. Financial institutions include Barclays Bank, Julius Baer (Middle East), Commercial Bank of Dubai, Mashreq Bank and RBS.

for more information, please visit www.missiongreenearth.ae

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Monday, August 11, 2008

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to organize Iftars in Iraq and Palestine

The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed on Monday 11 August 2008 two Agreements to organize Iftars through the Holy month of RAMADAN in Palestine and Iraq.
By these Agreements, the Foundation offers a sum of 2 Million US Dollars through UNDP to organize Iftars in different areas of Palestine and Iraq in cooperation with the local charity organizations and NGOs in the two countries.
The generous donations by the United Arab Emirates, in general, and by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation, in particular, add to the numerous contributions made by UAE and the Foundation that aim to relief the suffering of the poor and needy people in many countries, especially during the month of Ramadan.
The two Agreements come as part of a general working arrangement between the Foundation and UNDP and represent another example of successful cooperation.
It is worth mentioning that the Foundation and UNDP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May 2008 under which several joint projects in different countries; including an initiative for one million US Dollar to reduce the suffering of people who were affected by the Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, have been successfully implemented.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2008

Workshop on Gender and Environment

The General Women’s Council (GWC) in cooperation with the Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a training workshop titled "Gender and Environment", as part of the national initiatives project for gender inclusion in the United Arab Emirates.
Participants from different civil society women’s organizations and NGOs, as well as, public and private institutions attended the 5-days training workshop, which included field visits to some environmental projects in the UAE.
This workshop came as part of the national initiatives project for gender inclusion in the UAE, and was preceded by a series of training sessions conducted by UNDP and GWC.
The workshop aimed at introducing and analyzing the concept of gender, studying its effect on development issues and its relationship with consumption. Moreover, the workshop discussed women’s role in environmental development, in addition to a study of environmental behavior from a gender point of view, examining new trends in human resources management and motivating institutions to increase environmental awareness.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

UNDP-UAE Co-Organizes an unprecedented workshop in the region bringing delegates from 5 less developed countries.

the United Nations Development Programme – UAE, and in collaboration with The Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation, organized an unprecedented workshop in the region at the Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi to assess developmental projects proposals in Afghanistan, Comoros, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Palestine. The workshop was attended by members from both organizations, delegates from each UNDP country office and Ms. Suzanne Kim Siu from UNDP’s headquarters in New York.

The workshop started with welcoming notes from Dr. Mohamed Haji Al Khoury, Executive Director of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation and Dr. Khaled Alloush, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative.

From the situation of Afghan children, the deteriorating healthcare in the Comoros, the well known hardship that the Sudanese population in Darfur to Sierra Leone and finally Palestine and the extreme conditions that the population in Gaza is living under, each delegation presented information about the UNDP country offices and their work as well as the projects proposed by the Foundation. Each presentation was followed by a discussion about the needs, challenges and sustainability of the projects, giving the attendance information about UNDP’s long experience and technical expertise in those fields noting that it is operating on the ground in 166 countries around the world.

The foundation identified several projects in those countries, including digging water wells in Darfur and Sierra Leone, building an orphanage and providing humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, equipping a hospital in Comoros.

At the end of the workshop Dr. Al Khouri expressed his gratitude to all the attendance and especially the delegations coming from five different countries as well as his appreciation for the efforts which contributed in the success of the workshop through which the Foundation aims to tighten its relationships with the United Nations in general and the UNDP in particular, Dr. Al Khouri added that the Foundation is giving special attention to strengthen its collaboration with the United Nations agencies.

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

UNDP-UAE Signs an MoU with Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed on Sunday the 25th of May 2008 a Memorandum of Understanding with Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation.Under this agreement, the Foundation will benefit from UNDP's experience in the capacity buliding of its own staff, consultancy and newtorking.

The foundation was founded by a governmental decree on August 2007, under a direct request from H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, the president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The foundation is funded by the government of Abu Dhabi and from personal donations by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa. It has the status of an NGO. It is managed by an executive board, with H.H. Sheikh Khalifa as an honorary member.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Khaled Alloush- UN Resident Coodinator and UNDP Resident Representative, and Dr. Mohamed Haji Al Khoury- Executive Director of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

UNDP-UAE Mobilizes USD 1 Million to UNDP-Borma Donated By Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed on Sunday the 25th of May 2008 an Agreement with Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nehayan Foundation for a donation of US$1,000,000 in support of people who were affected by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. The donation will be used by UNDP Myanmar as part of its efforts to meet the immediate relief needs of the affected households and communities for the provision of temporary shelters, repairing of village health centers, and revival of fishing livelihoods.

The United Arab Emirates donations to date reached 100 metric tons of relief supplies donated by the Red Crescent and Dubai Cares and two local NGOs. The UAE is also being used as a hub for sending relief and aid supplies by the United Nations agencies as well as international NGOs.

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Monday, January 21, 2008

UNDP-UAE Signs MoU with Zayed Foundation

UNDP-UAE Signed yesterday a Memorandum of Understanding with Zayed Foundation for Humanitarian Care, special Needs and Minors Affairs. Under this agreement, the Foundation will benefit from the experience of the Program through training the Foundation's staff to international levels. The agreement was signed by Mohammed Al Hamili, deputy director of the Foundation, and Khaled Alloush, UNDP Resident Representative & UN Residnet Coordinator in UAE.   

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Sunday, November 25, 2007

UNDP UAE, HIV/AIDS Regional Program in the Arab States (HARPAS), UNFPA and (JWIDF) joined together and organised a three-day workshop entitled " Women Creating the Future"

UNDP UAE, HIV/AIDS Regional Program in the Arab States (HARPAS), organised a three-day workshop regarding Women NGO's and HIV/AIDS. The event was endorsed by UNFPA and the Japan Women Development Fund (JWIDF).

The workshop was opened with a welcome note by the UNDP Program analyst for HIV/AIDS-Gender Ms. Giulia Senigaglia on behalf of the UNDP UAE Resident Representative, followed by a speech by the Minister from the Embassy of Japan Mr. Kazuo Sunaga and Dr. Ehab El Kharrat, Consultant/Senior Technical Advisor, HARPAS.

45 participants from Civil Society Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) Saudi, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain attended the event with the main objective of raising awareness about the underlining causes that fuel the HIV epidemic globally, with special focus to the Arab world.
The workshop objectives were the following:

- To project the HIV response as on of the key human rights and developmental changes facing the woman in the Arab region.
- To point out that the underlying causes that fuel the HIV epidemic are similar to those contributing to the woman disempowerment.
- To mobilize and empower CSO's and all woman leadership bodies in responding to HIV.

As the workshop came to an end the participants all expressed a change of heart towards HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, an eagerness to make a change, and the hope for a better tomorrow.The workshop was closed with a statement by Dr. Khaled Alloush, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in the UAE and Dr. Khadija Moalla, Regional HIV/AIDS Practice Leader in the HIV/AIDS Regional Program in the Arab States (HARPAS).

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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

UAE join millions around the world in the Stand Up Campaign against Poverty and Inequality

UNDP UAE organized the Stand Up campaign on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in association with the art of living (AOL) and the International Association for Human values (IAHV). The event was endorsed by Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Chair Person of the International Humanitarian City and recently appointed UN Ambassador of Peace.

94,678 people in UAE join millions around the world in the Stand Up Campaign against Poverty and Inequality

As the deadline closed for the largest number of people Standing Up Against Poverty and Inequality in the world, UAE registered a total of 94,678 people from all walks of life as they put aside their priorities to Stand Up for two minutes and remind their leaders about their commitment to the UNMC Millennium Developmental Goals for 2015. These included 40,100 students from schools and educational institutions, 45,428 from corporations and organisations, 7,500 from labour camps, 875 from banks and 775 at shopping malls.

In schools and organisations all over the country, the excitement was palpable as participants found innovative ways to demonstrate their commitment to ending poverty and inequality. In organisations and in malls, people stood in creative formations while taking their pledge towards a better world by 2015. In schools, students made banners and placards drawing attention to poverty, hunger and universal education.

The campaign was organised by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) along with IAHV and the Art of Living. The ‘Stand Up and Speak Out’ Campaign comes with the endorsement of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, UN Messenger of Peace and the International Humanitarian City.

At a press conference to announce the results of the campaign last evening, Dr Khaled Alloush, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in the UAE, said “ Successful cases demonstrate that MDGs can be attained, only if, concentrated additional actions are taken immediately and sustained until 2015, especially the financial support from developed to developing countries. On the other hand, achieving MDGs requires the full commitment and collaboration of governments, UN and other multilateral organizations, NGOs and the private sector.”

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

UNDP Signs MoU with Sharjah Tatweer Forum

UNDP UAE will work with Sharjah Tatweer Forum to provide consutations, technical assistance and institutional support especially in the implementation and evaluation of joint partnerships for current and future projects between the public and private sectors in the emirate of Sharjah.

This was stated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UNDP and Sharjah Tatweer Forum (Tatweer) signed on Wednesday 26th. of September 2007 in Sharjah and focuses on the following:

• UNDP technical Assistance in institutional and capacity development;
• Development of Tatweer’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) and;
• Tatweer’s ongoing youth leadership initiative and the development of project(s) focused on youth and leadership needs

The MoU was signed by Dr. Khaled Alloush, UNDP Resident Representative & UN Resident Coordinator, and Mr. Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Chairman of Sharjah Tatweer Forum.

Mr. Hussain Al Mahmoudi said," We are pleased to sign this MoU with the UNDP's Representative, as this agreement will help us benefit enormously from the UNDP's international expertise and its available capabilities. This will help us reach Tatweer's objectives of sponsoring and highlighting the role of young UAE leaders, and motivating them to achieve excellence in administrative and leadership practices, and expanding their private sectors and facilitating the execution of innovative projects and ideas, in an effort to enhance the competitiveness of the Emirate of Sharjah as a prominent center for business, education, culture and tourism."

Dr. Alloush said," Though this agreement with Sharjah Tatweer Forum, we aim to encourage the sustainable economic and social development of the emirate of Sharjah. We intend to achieve this by facilitating the roles of both public and private sectors and developing local leaders, capacity building and scientific capabilities. We hope that this agreement will open new horizons of collaboration and netwrorking for all parties."

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