The General Women's Union (GWU) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) have signed a cooperation agreement to empower and support female talent development while encouraging their participation in the economic sector.

This partnership contributes to advancing sustainable development in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

The agreement is part of ongoing efforts to enable Emirati women to directly contribute to strengthening the foundations of the economy and enhancing its competitiveness, which is in line with Abu Dhabi and the UAE's initiatives for economic growth, diversification, and the establishment of sustainable development.

Ahmed Jassem Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said, "We are proud to collaborate with the General Women's Union to develop the business ecosystem and empower women across various economic sectors. Over the past few years, women have achieved significant accomplishments in entrepreneurship and leading initiatives. Empowering women is a key pillar in our strategy for economic growth and diversification. We will continue our efforts to increase women's participation in the economic field, which contributes to driving Abu Dhabi's development efforts and solidifying the emirate's position as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic growth. Women represent a fundamental driver of the economy and are a guarantee for the continued success of Abu Dhabi.

He also praised, during his visit to the headquarters of the General Women's Union, the initiatives carried out by the Union to enhance and empower women to increase their active participation in the journey of sustainable development.

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, emphasised the significance of strategic partnerships, like this one, in developing the skills and abilities of female professionals. These efforts support the leadership’s vision to qualify and empower women across key strategic sectors by equipping them with the necessary expertise through advanced, specialized training programs.

She also acknowledged the valuable contributions of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development in preparing and training female talent through its initiatives and programmes, underscoring the crucial role that Emirati women play in driving sustainable economic development across all sectors.

The agreement stipulates the formation of a committee to study areas of improvement and develop proactive plans to enhance the presence of female entrepreneurs in business activities. It also establishes the policies and strategic objectives of the General Women’s Union as a fundamental reference to unify efforts in highlighting the UAE’s role in empowering women at the local level. Additionally, the agreement aims to promote transparency in assessing progress made in supporting women economically, enabling decision-makers to take informed and targeted steps towards strengthening women’s status and expanding their opportunities.

The agreement also emphasises the importance of unifying the efforts of both parties in areas of mutual interest, to highlight the UAE’s efforts in economically supporting women at both the local and regional levels. It focuses on cooperation and coordination in strategic initiatives of shared interest to achieve their goals most effectively.

Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in the exchange of knowledge, training, administrative expertise, and institutional experiences, all of which contribute to enhancing human, procedural, and institutional capacities.

The areas of cooperation include the progress tracking system for women, by providing the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development with available information from the women’s progress tracking system for the economic sector. This system will establish a direct electronic link between the economic license databases and the women’s progress tracking system, based on specific rules and mechanisms to be agreed upon during the implementation of the linkage.

Under the agreement, both parties will work together to strengthen their efforts in building women’s capacities, encouraging and preparing them to engage in non-traditional business activities where female representation is less than 50%. This will be achieved through approved training and mentorship programmes as part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development’s annual plan, in collaboration with relevant sectors and partners, as well as supporting research and development.

Additionally, the two parties will cooperate in training and developing individuals’ skills in specific areas related to the sector, to enhance competitiveness and productivity.

The General Women's Union will support ADDED in coordinating with regional and international organisations focused on women to implement initiatives at both regional and international levels.

In turn, ADDED will exchange expertise and knowledge and contribute to the implementation of joint regional and international initiatives by providing consulting services.