Saif bin Zayed chairs FDSC's first meeting

Abu Dhabi, 26 June 2010 (WAM) - Deputy Prime Minister & Interior Minister Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan today presided over the first meeting of the Federal Demographic Structure Council.

Present during the meeting were Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Social Affairs Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, and the Council's Secretary General Rashid Likhribani Al Nuaimi.

Sheikh Saif welcomed the Council members and expressed thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and General H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for their keen efforts to address the imbalance in the demographic structure.

He indicated that the Council gad been mandated to study and evaluate the demographic structure, propose demographic strategies and adopt appropriate policies to boost the role of citizens, to preserve national values and traditions, and to achieve the aspired demographic balance.

"It is very important to continue the empowerment process and to address the national issues of concern to the community through developing capabilities of the nationals in order to enable them to contribute in the sustainable development drive," he added.

The Council members were briefed by Al Nuaimi on a multi-tier action plan for the FDSC, which entails studying and proposing Key Performance Indicators of the population sector and features of the corporate governance.

The plan's first phase, to be implemented in August, will seek to define general objectives of the demographic structure and identifying the long term goals.

The FDSC was established last March following a cabinet resolution issued by Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2010.