Abu Dhabi [UAE], April 25: The UAE Cabinet has approved an AED2 billion package to address the damage suffered by the citizens' homes during the recent severe weather conditions.
A ministerial committee has been tasked with assessing the damage and disbursing compensations in coordination with federal and local authorities.
This was announced during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The cabinet commended the efforts of government and emergency response teams, as well as volunteers and the public for tackling the challenges and coming together for the sake of the nation.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said: "We approved an allocation of AED2 billion to address the damage suffered by citizens' homes. A ministerial committee has been tasked with overseeing this file. With the follow-up and support of my brother, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, life returned to normal quickly."
He added: "We formed a committee to assess the damage caused by the floods and rain on the infrastructure and to propose solutions and measures at the national level. The committee is chaired by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and includes members from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior, the National Emergency of Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and other federal entities as well as representatives from all the seven emirates.
"The central operation rooms dealt with more than 200,000 reports with participation from over 17,000 members from security, emergency and interior personnel, 15,000 from local authorities and thousands of volunteers to manage the consequences of this exceptional weather event.
"The exceptional weather event turned out to be a blessing for us. The dams filled up, the valleys flowed with rainwater and the underground water reserves replenished. We enhanced our readiness and preparedness, making us better prepared for the future."
The Cabinet also reviewed updates of the UAE Tourism Strategy and the major achievements of the sector. The total number of hotel guests reached 28 million in 2023, an increase of 11% from the previous year. The tourism sector's contribution to GDP is approaching AED180 billion in 2023, according to the UAE Government Media Office.
Held at Qasr Al Watan, the Cabinet meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; and H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
Source: Emirates News Agency