Saqr Ghobash Urges Global Parliaments, Governments To Cooperate In Recovery Process After COVID-19

Saqr Ghobash urges global parliaments, governments to cooperate in recovery process after COVID-19

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2020) Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council, FNC, called on parliaments from around the world to cooperate with governments in the recovery process after the coronavirus, COVID-19, crisis, to solve the growing problems facing the world’s communities in the areas of sustainable development, extremism, terrorism, geopolitical tensions and various humanitarian crises.

He stated this during his speech at the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments held by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, and the United Nations, UN, under the theme,"The Leading Role that Parliaments can achieve in Global Rebuilding following the COVID-19 Pandemic."

The exceptional circumstances imposed by the pandemic should inspire everyone to consider the development of parliamentary work, and the first lesson from the pandemic is that the world should work as one human family because pandemics do not care about geographical borders, ethnicities, religions, politics, economics or culture, and solidarity and cooperation are inevitable, he added.

Parliaments and the IPU have the responsibility to cooperate with governments and international organisations, to ensure fair access to future COVID-19 vaccines, Ghobash further added, stressing that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has handled the pandemic with professionalism and adopted several effective strategies, such as drafting proactive action plans and employing smart and innovative solutions in the areas of health, education, the economy, labour and other vital sectors.

The UAE tops the list of countries in terms of COVID-19 testing for citizens and residents, and has established over 14 drive-through testing centres around the country and provided medical insurance, he further said, adding that around 15,000 people, both citizens and residents, have volunteered for the coronavirus vaccine trials.

The UAE has adopted a remote learning system for over 1.2 million public and private school students, Ghobash then noted.

In the business sector, he pointed out that the UAE’s federal government has implemented support and incentive plans valued at AED70 billion, and local governments also declared several incentives and support plans and have exempted residents from paying fines related to expired residency permits.

The UAE implemented a strategy aimed at addressing the post-COVID-19 period, which is based on a framework for foreseeing future opportunities and challenges in various national sectors, ensuring the readiness of its public and private sectors, and raising its economic efficiency through 33 initiatives, he further stressed.

Despite the pandemic and its global implications, the UAE is committed to its international humanitarian mission and has provided medical aid to around 64 countries, to reduce the effects of the pandemic, Ghobash said in conclusion.