DUBAI: During 2016, Dubai Municipality entered into 24 agreements and initiatives, all related to the municipality’s role in enhancing services provided to the public and at the same time boosting its capabilities as a major department in the emirate within the framework of competitiveness and organisational excellence, said Khater Al Nuaimi, Director of Customer Relations and Partnerships Department in the municipality. He said that one of the agreements signed by the municipality was the food charity initiative, “Hifz Al Neamah” with Al Maktoum Foundation, Red Crescent Society, Tarahum Charity Foundation, Royati Family Association, and with the hotels, Madinat Jumeirah, Al Bustan, Al Murooj Rotana, Armani and Dubai World Trade Centre.
Dubai Municipality signed MoUs with Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah municipalities last year, giving the municipalities the right to use its “Makani” app and providing all aspects of support to them in order to use the app, which has received the highest number of local and international awards for its ease of use and clarity of concept. The municipality also signed agreements with the Ministry of Finance and National Bank of Abu Dhabi on the e-Dirham System in order to raise revenues for government and non-government agencies through the use of safer and more modern means of collection for increased use of e-dirham applications and to provide a basis for future growth and development. Under the electronic payment smart service, the customer need not visit municipality headquarters or any of its centres to pay municipality fees, which will save a lot of time and effort and contribute effectively in facilitating economic and trade movement. Dubai Municipality also signed an agreement with Emirates NBD allowing customers to pay the municipality service charges in flexible interest-free instalments with payment options ranging from 3 to 12 months. Huda Al Saffar, head of Partnerships Section in the Customer Relations and Partnerships Department, said that out of Dubai Municipality’s keenness towards achieving the principle of community partnership in community service, and seeking to participate in building a pioneering Emirati model in the field of social responsibility, Dubai Municipality signed a partnership agreement with the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai to launch a community initiative under the title, “Kasib.”
The initiative aimed to provide sustainable livelihoods to low-income citizens of the Emirate of Dubai who have registered with the CDA, by providing investment opportunities for small projects, through which the beneficiaries of the programme are expected to acquire skills that will contribute towards raising their standard of living and self-sufficiency without the need for government aid. Dubai Municipality also signed an agreement with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre for the design and manufacture of the first industrial nano-metric satellite in the region, DM SAT1, within the Dubai Future Accelerators Programme. The new satellite will monitor, collect and analyse environmental data using space technology and employ it in finding solutions to the challenges of pollution in the cities and climate change. The Higher Colleges of Technology also signed a cooperation agreement with Dubai Municipality in order to work together on the development of high-quality smart applications, which supports the provision of supportive environment to the community, and provides quick and innovative services in the commercial, industrial and academic fields, through the Smart Phone Applications Development Centre of the Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah. Dubai Municipality also signed a joint cooperation agreement within the framework of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Initiative for Community Sports, which aims to motivate members of the community to do exercises consistently, build community sports as a lifestyle for healthy living, show interest for fitness, and enjoy the happiness and positive energy.
