- Senior Committee for Productive Families Development
Ruwad Establishment signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Ministry of Social Affairs, recently, to work with the Ministry on improving the role of productive families in UAE society and supporting UAE nationals, enabling them to utilize their skills and abilities in the establishment and operation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The signing ceremony was held at Ruwad Offices and attended by H.E. Abdullah Rashid Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, who signed the MoU with H.E Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Deputy Chairman of Ruwad Establishment.
The MoU aims to focus on the positive role of productive families as a basic foundation upon which the sustainable economic and social growth plans may be structured, in line with the federal government’s strategies, which emphasize the importance of enhancing the role of families in ensuring sustainable social welfare.
Per the agreement, the two parties will exchange plans and visions for skills development and exploitation of UAE nationals’ potential for success through means of various services and support programs that promote their products and services, providing them with logistical and marketing support giving them direct access to local markets and consumers.
Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Abdullah Rashid Al Suwaidi said, “This Memorandum of Understanding falls in line with the visions and directives of President H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with regard to the support of the positive role of families in society, and with the UAE Government Strategy launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which has set new standards for social work and introduced new schemes to support and fund SMEs owned and run by productive families in the UAE.
“This agreement also implements the directives of H.H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who insists on the vital importance of improving the skills and abilities of UAE nationals through support programmes for productive families, as family is one of the cornerstones of sustainable development in the region,” he said.
Al Suwaidi stated that the ministry will work to optimise cooperation among ministries, corporations, civil society organizations and the private sector to offer the best social services possible to the families in order to augment the role played by these families in the process of sustainable growth.
He added that both parties would work together on conducting the studies necessary to determine the requirements of families and to provide training and support for female nationals that will enable them establish small enterprises. Both parties will seek to utilize social security aids, wherever possible, for the benefit of productive families.
H.E Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Deputy Chairman of Ruwad Establishment, said, “On behalf of all of us at Ruwad, I would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to H.H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his great support and directives to empower productive families and enhance their contributions to the social and economic welfare of our people. I would also like to express thanks and appreciation to HH Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, for his continuous support of Ruwad’s various initiatives and schemes, which aim to raise awareness of the culture of self employment and encourage the establishment of SMEs.
“I am pleased to announce that, as a result of this agreement, we aim to set up nurturing business incubators for productive UAE families to support the development of new ideas and provide early stage start-ups with finance, management expertise and infrastructural support. We will embark on a series of studies to determine and develop the best possible tools with which to empower productive families in the country.”
Both parties have agreed to set up a senior committee under the name of “Senior Task Force for the Development of Productive Families” to support this new initiative. The committee may include representatives from SME associations and social organisations. An executive committee will be set up to develop project plans, suggestions and recommendations, which it will then submit, at which time the senior and executive committees will both allocate the necessary financial resources and define the responsibilities of the various parties concerned. The committee will prepare reports and will hold regular meetings to follow up on the progress of the project.
