UAE to combat drug abuse, trafficking in new strategy, Sheikh Mohammed announces

The UAE Cabinet adopted a national strategy for combating drugs during the government's annual meetings that kicked off in Abu Dhabi on Monday, November 4. The strategy would include enhancing deterrence for drug dealers and promoters, both locally and internationally, setting up rehabilitation centres, raising community awareness and establishing correctional centres for offenders among other effective measures.

Announcing the strategy, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who chaired the meeting that kicked off with an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, said: "Drugs are a scourge, a loss, an addiction... an illusion and a societal cancer that everyone must join together to fight."

The Cabinet, which also reviewed the progress of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, was informed that the percentage of citizens owning a house in the country has risen to 91 per cent — from 76 per cent — in the past five years.

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The percentage of housing applications has dropped from 13,000 to only 650. At the same time, the period of allocating a house has been reduced from 4 years to one year. So far, more than 90,000 citizens have benefited from the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, with a budget of Dh60 billion.

Further, the UAE Cabinet ratified 22 international agreements with 17 countries to advance economic, trade, legal, judicial and educational partnerships. "We have signed MoUs on energy, competitiveness, and research with 17 nations. The UAE continues to build stronger ties with countries across the world as part of our growing international engagement," said Sheikh Mohammed.

These annual meetings, involving 500 key officials in the UAE, hold particular significance, collaborating across federal and local authorities.

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