The visit programme of the government delegation from the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Arab Emirates, which lasted three days, concluded its events today. The programme came within the framework of strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries and boosting cooperation in various areas, notably in the development and modernization of government work and sharing of knowledge and success stories in communication and Media.

The visit agenda, orchestrated by the General Secretariat of the Cabinet at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, included briefing the visiting delegation about the communication system of the UAE and media work models. The briefing came in the form of workshops, orientation sessions and field visits to many media and government institutions in the country with a view to gaining insight into the best communication experiences and practices in the United Arab Emirates

His Excellency Abdullah Bintouq, Secretary General of the Cabinet affirmed that “the United Arab Emirates continues to invest and create a supportive and stimulating environment for all practices and success stories to support its vision. Simultaneously, the UAE seeks to maintain and strengthen the principle of partnership with different countries of the world as one of the major pillars required to achieve greater mutual success that would serve the interests of both parties in line with the goals of its ambitious development process in all fields”.

H.E Bintouq hailed the strategic partnership between the UAE and Uzbekistan and said: “it is based on knowledge exchange and transfer of distinctive experiences. During the visit of the Uzbek delegation, we were keen to promote dialogue and share ideas and opinions in the fields of communication and media” he added.

H.E said “We look forward to working together in the near future to develop joint projects and initiatives between the two countries that will establish and open new horizons in government work”.

Government Communication System of the UAE Government 

The UAE Government Liaison Office at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future held an introductory session for the delegation entitled: “The Communication system of the UAE Government”. The Session touched on the most important success stories of the Liaison Office, reviewed internal and external communication systems of the federal government and displayed the Liaison Office responsibilities in promoting internal communication channels between ministries and federal bodies. The Session also shed light on other tasks of the Office such as media strategic planning, development of media capabilities and competencies and highlighted the main tools and mechanisms used in writing and coordinating media messages for the government, which aim to serve and achieve the overall objectives of government strategic plan and reach out to the public.

The Delegation Programme also hosted His Excellency Mansour Al Mansouri, Director General of the National Media Council, who discussed the mechanisms to develop information and media sector in the United Arab Emirates. H.E Al Mansouri reviewed the most important tasks of the National Media Council including setting the regulations, standards and foundations necessary for the work, licensing and accreditation of the media and its employees, organising information and e-publishing, proposing draft laws,  preparing the necessary regulations to regulate the practice of media activities, as well as the follow-up of media content in its various traditional and digital forms.

Mansour Al Mansouri, Director-General of the National Media Council, NMC, highlighted the meeting’s importance in enhancing the media cooperation between the UAE and Uzbekistan, as well as exchanging experiences and ideas, and encouraging communication between the two countries, which will highlight their rich cultures and create intellectual and cultural connections between their peoples.

During the meeting, Al Mansouri illustrated the NMC’s role in creating a regulatory environment that supports the development of the UAE’s media sector, and the legislation and initiatives implemented by the council to enable the sector to meet modern challenges, requirements and developments.

Al Mansouri stressed that the NMC’s strategy focusses on the cooperation between concerned media organisations and promoting the role of the media in achieving sustainable development. 

He added that consolidating friendships between peoples and countries can only be achieved through the exchange of experiences and knowledge

The Delegation also visited the Dubai Media Office and was received by Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Director General of Dubai Media Office.  H.E Mona informed the Delegation about the most important roles played by the Media Office within the UAE information system, and briefed them on the Office’s vision to enhance its capabilities at various levels through the adoption of new tools and solutions in the industry with a view to supporting the country's Media sector and shaping the future of this vital sector.

The Programme also included a visit to the Ministry of Possibilities, in  Emirates Towers, to familiarize themselves with the Ministry’s main functions and government practices. The Ministry’s responsibilities include the development of pre-emptive fundamental solutions to addressing certain national issues within a specific time schedule. The Ministry of Possibilities, whose composition keeps changing based on the challenges it deals with, includes a team composed of officials from various federal and local government bodies, private sector and individuals set up to carry out joint assignments, in addition to reviewing the work and system of government accelerators and the Youth Hub of the Federal Youth Authority.

Visits to Media Institutions

On the other hand, the delegation was briefed, during their visit to Bloomberg company regional headquarters, on the company's business and news services. It is one of the largest companies specialized in providing news, information and financial services. The delegation was briefed also on Bloomberg’s business plans for the region conducted through its Dubai bureau. It is one of 10 branches of the company worldwide, and its news services cover the Middle East and North Africa.

The visit agenda also covered the experiences of a number of institutions in the country, including the GEMS Wellington Academy and MBC, in addition to a workshop hosted by Dubai Media City, which addressed the success stories of institutions and companies in the Dubai Free Zone system presented by H.E. Majid Al Suwaidi, General Manager of Dubai Media City, Dubai Studios City and Dubai Production City.

Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director, Dubai Media City commented, “We are delighted to welcome the delegation to Dubai Media City and believe the visit is a step that further contributes to the bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Uzbekistan. At Dubai Media City, we continue to play a major role in the growth and development of the media sector both locally and regionally by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced business environment that stimulates innovation and creativity and this in return contributed to Dubai’s selection as the Capital of Arab Media 2020. 

He added, “Since inception, Dubai Media City evolved into the largest hub for media organizations in the region and is now home to global media giants as well as innovative startups and content creators, and we were glad to share expertise with the visiting delegation”

It is worth mentioning that the strategic partnership between the UAE and Uzbekistan in the field of government modernisation includes 19 pivotal points for joint collaboration. It was agreed to implement 120 initiatives and projects with the aim to benefit from the UAE government leading models in modernization, measurement of performance, provision of services, forming task groups in various fields: strategy, performance, innovation, programming, the future of education, economy, competitiveness, doing business … etc.