Ministry of Environment and Water and the Municipal System in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Officially Launch the 8th GCC Municipal Conference and Exhibition

Themes Include Smart Government, Best Practices in Municipal Projects, Community Partnership and Customer Service

Abu Dhabi – UAE: 17 February 2014 – The Ministry of Environment and Water and the Municipal System of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, today announced the launch of the 8th GCC Municipal Conference and Exhibition. The event will be hosted by Abu Dhabi from 8 – 9 April, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of UAE and Minister for Presidential Affairs. Under the slogan of “Sustainable Municipal Services to Enhance the Quality of Life”, the conference this year provides a platform which promotes dialogue on visions relating to municipal affairs in the GCC countries with the participation of leaders, experts and specialists from across the world.

H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, in a press conference held at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi, said: “Hosting the 8th GCC Municipal Conference and Exhibition comes within the context of our endeavors to achieve the values and objectives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to contribute to consolidating the commitment of the GCC leaders to upgrade — quantitatively and qualitatively — the services provided by governmental institutions in the Gulf states, given that they are one of the main pillars upon which the development of the region is based.”

H.E. said: “The major importance of further improving municipal services is, without a doubt, gaining greater attention. These services are demanded the most from the government since they are directly linked to the social and economic interests and beliefs of the public and overall development. We thus consider the 8th annual GCC Municipal Conference and Exhibition as an important and comprehensive platform for dialogue among policy and decision makers as well specialists involved in municipal work within the GCC region. This event will enable us all to develop and sustain the best services and practices in the municipal field and enhance their contributions to the quality of life of the countries of the region. We can achieve this by taking advantage of the expertise that the region has collectively accumulated over the years and the successful experiences and initiatives that have been achieved in the municipal sector.

“Over the past few years the municipalities of the United Arab Emirates have been able to significantly expand and develop as reflected by the growing accuracy and quality of the services they provide, and local services now surpass those provided in many developed countries. This has contributed to the advancement of the UAE Vision 2021 development agenda at the local and regional levels. It has also raised overall confidence in governmental services, the economy, and competitiveness. Just recently, the UAE was ranked first in governmental trust and economy. This proves the high level of government services we provide, particularly at the municipal level. It is a testament to the effectiveness of our strategic plans and programs designed to further improve the quality of services throughout the country.”

H.E. elaborated that the GCC Municipal Conference and Exhibition, which Abu Dhabi is honored to host for the second time, represents an important step in its efforts to strengthen the cooperative bonds between the municipalities of the GCC, and it is a valuable channel for improving municipal work across the GCC and ensure that municipal services are provided to all beneficiaries in the best and most convenient manner. The three elements underpinning the upcoming conference, namely, wise governance, the best municipal practices and projects, and community partnership and customer services, are priority issues that definitely deserve more attention moving forward.

His Excellency, said: “We warmly welcome all participants, most especially our guests from neighboring GCC countries, and assure you that we shall conduct the Conference in the best possible manner within our capabilities. We urge you to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this important event, share your achievements and future plans, hold in-depth and transparent dialogue on the challenges faced by municipalities across the region, and propose effective solutions to address major obstacles. We also invite our guests to explore the exhibition and learn the latest techniques and practices that they can use to further develop municipal work in the Gulf and consolidate its contributions towards achieving sustainable development.”

His Excellency Majjed Al Mansouri, Chairman, Department of Municipal Affairs in Abu Dhabi, said: “By capitalising on global economic partnerships, having a flexible outlook towards adopting new economic models, and establishing a sustainable and diversified economy, the UAE can benefit and attain long-term prosperity and enjoy an enhanced quality of living. We hope that under the new event slogan for this edition - “Sustainable Municipal Services to Enhance the Quality of Life” – we are able to take a step forward in achieving these outcomes, raise awareness on government responsibilities, and highlight the prominent achievements between local, national and international governments as per Abu Dhabi's plan for 2030.”

H.E. said: “Through this vital Conference we seek to highlight the significant accomplishments that have been achieved in light of the cooperation between the national government of the UAE, the GCC states, and the countries of the world, in line with the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. We assure you that advancing municipal work in the UAE, and improving the supporting infrastructure, is the basis of what the municipalities' do, in addition to developing the laws and regulations related to municipal work. All of the aforementioned are the main steps that contribute to enhancing the quality of life in the UAE and therefore in the GCC states.

“In this context, we will strive to support the tireless efforts made by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in order to achieve sustainable growth and energy and resource conservation, as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the local economy. By relying on economic partnerships, adopting innovative economic models, and building a sustainable and diversified economy, our nations in the Arab Gulf will achieve significant gains, and succeed in maintaining long-term prosperity, God willing.”

Speaking about the event, Chris Fountain, Managing Director, Turret Media, said: “By developing initiatives and setting objectives that aim to support various sectors such as healthcare, education, employment, and many more; the Government of Abu Dhabi continually strives to meet new standards for the economy and aims to achieve the UAE National Agenda by the year 2021. Hosting the 8th GCC Municipal Conference is one such initiative that will facilitate discussion of the GCC municipal vision among international leaders, specialists, and professionals.”

Under the theme ‘Smart Government', the conference will focus on areas such as: municipal mobile service applications, smart regulations to enhance competitiveness through business/citizen friendly regulations; and sustainable cities focusing on building cities for the future with emphasis on sectors such as transportation, energy, land use planning, waste management and emergency services.

When sharing ‘Best Practices in Municipal Projects', the conference will focus on aspects such as: customer service; asset management; sustainable municipal financing or sources of municipal revenues and its applicability to municipalities in the GCC; growth management - planning for growth in an integrated and sustainable manner; inter municipal collaboration; building organizational capacity for sustainable cities; livable cities focusing on live, work and play; best practices in municipal transformation; and the balance between modernity and heritage/culture.

With regards to ‘Community Partnership and Customer Service', the conference will highlight sub themes such as: managing citizens' interest in outsourced services i.e. what mechanisms exist to ensure that the public interest is enhanced when services are contracted out to the public sector; and best practices in outsourced services by studying the lessons learned with regards to the key ingredients in managing a successful public-private partnership.

In addition to the conference, the event will feature an exhibition that will enable institutions and companies to display the latest technologies and equipment used in the field of Municipal works.

Exhibitors from all over the world will present products and services related to sectors such as roads, bridges and tunnels; traffic flow and control; public transport; public health; public advertising equipment; public facilities; infrastructure and sanitary drainage; industrial activity; waste management and treatment; security systems and control; gardens, horticulture, forests, irrigation and agriculture activities; e-administration; and specialized software.

Spread across 2000 square meters, the event will host over 2500 visitors from public and private sectors, more than 500 delegates as well as 50 international speakers over the two-day event.