Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure Launches Initiatives to Support Senior Citizens
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) has unveiled a new suite of initiatives titled We Are Your Support to enhance services and improve the quality of life for senior citizens and residents across the UAE.
Launched as part of the Year of the Community , the initiative introduces integrated and personalised services aimed at reinforcing the status, stability, and well-being of the elderly population. Key components include the National Housing Specifications Guide for Senior Citizens, free housing designs via the 'Darak' platform, and voluntary engineering consultations under the 'Aounkom' programme.
To ensure seamless access to these services, the Ministry has deployed dedicated advisors at service centres in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah. Selected for their communication skills and cultural fluency, these advisors provide specialised support tailored to the needs of senior citizens.
The initiative also offers gender-sensitive solutions. Women can now complete transactions from home through the 'Leen Babek' service, while men benefit from priority parking, smart service desks, and personalised follow-ups. Additionally, the 'Golden Counter' prioritises elderly visitors at all participating service centres.
Workshops have been introduced to help senior citizens become more familiar with digital services, with direct assistance available when needed.
Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, described the initiative as a reflection of the UAE leadership's vision for inclusive and human-centred services. 'Serving the elderly is a privilege and a gesture of gratitude,'
he said. 'This initiative is a model of care and empowerment aligned with our commitment to deliver proactive, seamless, and people-focused services.'
News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
UAE participates in Beijing International Book Fair 2025
19 June 2025 23:17 ABU DHABI (WAM) The Ministry of Culture (MoC) is participating in the 31st edition of the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), taking place in the Chinese capital from June 18 to 22, 2025. The UAE's presence reflects its ongoing commitment to advancing global cultural dialogue and deepening its strategic partnership with the People's Republic of participation comes as part of the national pavilion 'UAE Pavilion', inaugurated in the presence of Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Ambassador to China; Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture; Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre; and Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers event saw wide participation from federal and local government entities, academic institutions, and Emirati publishing houses, aiming to showcase facets of the UAE's creative landscape and deepen cultural and intellectual exchange with the People's Republic of UAE programme features a rich array of activities, including literary panels, traditional performances, children's reading and art workshops, and curated displays of Emirati publications. Visitors also learn about major national initiatives such as the Golden Visa recommendation service for creatives, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, the 'Kalimah' translation project, and grant programs supporting publishing and translation. These efforts underscore the Ministry's strategic investment in intellectual and cultural development.A dedicated Emirati Chinese Archive within the pavilion celebrates the longstanding historical and cultural ties between the two nations, showcasing key moments of cooperation in publishing, translation, and the creative on the UAE's participation, Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, states: 'Our presence at the Beijing International Book Fair affirms the UAE's commitment to fostering cultural connectivity and creating meaningful international partnerships, particularly in Asia. Culture is a vital strategic bridge that promotes understanding, mutual respect, and collaboration between peoples.'He adds: 'We believe that supporting publishers and creatives is an investment in the future of knowledge and in building a well-read, culturally aware, and globally connected society. With this vision in mind, the Ministry of Culture has empowered writers through the National Grant Program for Culture and Creativity. To date, the program has supported more than 30 Emirati creatives in the fields of authorship and publishing, including books, magazines, and digital media. This reflects the Ministry's broader commitment to sustaining and advancing local cultural production. Recognised as one of the world's premier literary events, the Beijing International Book Fair draws thousands of publishers, authors, and cultural professionals from across the globe. The event features a broad program of professional and public events, including the Chinese Book Award Ceremony, PubTech Conference, Artistic Publishing Forum, World Children's Book Forum, and Beijing International Illustration Forum, alongside specialised exhibitions such as the Beijing Picture Book Fair, International Art Book Fair, and Cookbook Fair.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
UAE chairs Global Energy Efficiency Alliance
19 June 2025 15:25 DUBAI (WAM)The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), announced that it is chairing the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA) for the coming years, following the formation of GEEA's General UAE announced its intention to establish GEEA during the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, in support of the UAE Consensus and the global goal of doubling the energy efficiency improvement rate, from the historical average of two percent to over four percent annually by reaffirms the UAE's commitment to placing energy efficiency at the forefront of the international energy and climate effort comes at a critical moment, as the world is currently off track, the global energy efficiency improvement rate remains below 1.5 percent annually, and at this pace, the world will fall short of achieving its decarbonisation and net-zero complements other high-level initiatives such as the Mission Efficiency partnership, the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group, and regional clean energy platforms. Together, these combined efforts must be mutually reinforcing, not fragmented—ensuring that knowledge, finance, and best practices flow across borders and chairing this ambitious alliance, the UAE underscores its commitment to spearheading international efforts to enhance energy efficiency across various UAE aims to strengthen collaboration among governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and research and innovation centers, thereby accelerating the transition toward more efficient and sustainable energy this context, Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, emphasised that the UAE's chairing of GEEA reflects the international community's confidence in the country's ability to lead and coordinate noted that GEEA will play a pivotal role in policy development, knowledge, and expertise exchange, enhancing access to finance and innovation, and enabling member states to achieve their national and international energy efficiency Olama said, 'This alliance serves as a practical and inclusive platform to accelerate the achievement of the global target to double the rate of energy efficiency by 2030, in line with the historic UAE Consensus. We welcome all partners from around the world to join and collaborate for a more efficient and sustainable future. GEEA aims to drive transformative improvements in energy consumption efficiency across key sectors, including buildings, transportation, and industry.' Last February, the UAE hosted a high-level roundtable during the World Government Summit in Dubai, where the general framework of the alliance was discussed with several countries, international organisations, private sector entities, and financial institutions.
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Gulf Today
UAE records remarkable housing achievements with support exceeding Dhs63 billion
The UAE continues to make remarkable accomplishments in the federal housing sector, enhancing its leadership in urban development and social stability, and strengthening its position among the best countries in the world in terms of quality of life. In H1 2025, the UAE Cabinet approved housing decisions for over 1,838 citizens, totalling Dhs1.2 billion as part of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, which has provided assistance amounting to Dhs63 billion since its establishment to date. More than 93,000 Emirati citizens have benefited from this initiative so far, reflecting the country's commitment to empowering Emirati families and providing suitable housing as one of the key pillars of societal stability. In recent years, the programme has witnessed a series of strategic developments that have enhanced the effectiveness of the housing system, accelerated the process of obtaining housing support, and increased customer satisfaction. Additionally, there has been an expansion in partnerships with the banking sector and financial institutions, in line with the country's focus on financial sustainability and innovation in service delivery. Between 2021 and 2024, the programme achieved remarkable results in terms of performance indicators. The time required to obtain a housing support decision was reduced by more than 50%. The percentage of citizens owning homes increased to 91% - a 17% increase compared to 2017, while private sector funding accounted for 76% of the total, confirming the effectiveness of the adopted financial policies. Customer satisfaction surveys also showed that happiness levels regarding housing services doubled today—an increase of 100% compared to 2021—indicating a significant improvement in the efficiency of the government service system. In this context, the UAE Cabinet has approved a new financing policy for the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme extending until 2041. The policy aims to issue 40,000 housing support decisions, divided into four phases. The first phase includes the issuance of 13,000 decisions at an estimated cost of Dhs11.5 billion, effectively doubling the number of annual decisions compared to previous years. This comes as part of the country's efforts to enhance resource sustainability and improve the efficiency of public spending. The new policy is based on an integrated model between the federal government and national banks, contributing to reducing the financial burden on the public treasury while providing flexible financing alternatives for citizens. Additionally, the Ministry launched several regulatory initiatives in cooperation with the Central Bank of the UAE to address challenges associated with implementing the new policy. These include the 'Flexible Loan,' which allows citizens to obtain housing finance that aligns with their financial capabilities, with the possibility of benefiting from the finance gap for up to four years. Another initiative is the 'Reuse of Housing Assistance Value,' enabling citizens to re-utilise the assistance in case their living conditions change. Moreover, the policy includes an 'Exemption of Retirement Contributions from Total Salary,' which enhances the process of assessing monthly income and expands opportunities for obtaining housing support. As part of the government's efforts to streamline procedures, the Ministry launched the 'Manzili' bundle, which was recognised in the Zero Bureaucracy Awards as the Best Team across the UAE Government in the 'Impact on People's Lives' category. The package contributed to reducing the number of entities a customer must deal with from 11 to just one, the number of procedures from 14 to three, and the required documents from 10 to just one. This was made possible through integration and coordination with 28 partner entities, resulting in saving over 9 million working hours, reducing fuel consumption by 55,000 liters, and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 586,000 kilograms—based on calculations for an estimated 5,000 users annually. The Ministry also launched the national platform 'Darak' as a unified window for offering advisory services and construction packages to citizens. This was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Possibilities, the Social Solidarity Fund for Ministry of Interior employees, and local housing programmes. In a new achievement that reflects the UAE's global standing in the housing sector, the country won the presidency of the General Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and secured membership in its Executive Board. This recognition strengthens the UAE's role in supporting international efforts in housing and sustainable urban planning. UN-Habitat is an international UN agency headquartered in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It works towards a better urban future, with a mission to ensure adequate shelter for all by promoting the sustainable development of human settlements in social and environmental dimensions. UN-Habitat includes a membership of 193 countries from around the world. Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said, 'Thanks to the directives of the UAE's wise leadership, the country continues to achieve significant milestones in the housing sector. The housing support decisions, during the first half of 2025, reflect the country's unwavering commitment to providing suitable housing for citizens, as it represents a fundamental pillar in the path of comprehensive development.' He added, 'These remarkable achievements are the result of a strategic vision in which government efforts are integrated with the banking sector under the new funding policy, aimed at empowering Emirati families, enhancing quality of life, and ensuring resource sustainability.' He pointed out that the Ministry, in the coming phase, aims to develop innovative housing projects that align with future needs, reinforce principles of sound financial management, and redefine traditional concepts of homeownership—contributing to improved quality of life, family stability, and the social and economic growth of the nation. For his part, Eng. Mohamed Al Mansouri, Director-General of Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, emphasised that these achievements reflect the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership, which places people at the heart of development plans. He noted that the programme is a fundamental pillar in empowering and stabilising Emirati families. He said, 'We continue working to develop a flexible and innovative federal housing system that integrates government and private sector efforts, aligns with citizens' aspirations, and enhances the UAE's global competitiveness in quality of life and urban development indicators.' WAM
