The UAE Infrastructure and Housing Council held its regular meeting for 2024. His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, presided over the meeting that discussed challenges and opportunities for developing and improving the efficiency of the infrastructure and housing sectors.

His Excellency Al Mazrouei said: “We seek to future-proof the infrastructure sector and make it resilient in the face of challenges. The UAE Infrastructure and Housing Council is fully committed to driving cooperation among stakeholders from the federal and local government to align efforts and achieve common goals. The sizeable investments we made so far in the infrastructure reflect the vision of the wise leadership, which focuses on providing an integrated environment that supports economic and social growth, contributing to the achievement of the UAE's global leadership. The council is committed to overseeing the implementation of projects and initiatives according to the highest standards of efficiency and quality, which enhances the country's competitiveness and promotes the happiness and well-being of its society.”

His Excellency pointed out that traffic congestion is a central issue that requires special attention, as the concerned authorities (both federal and local) are working on developing innovative solutions to address this problem. Efforts are focused on improving infrastructure, enhancing the efficiency of public transport networks to make them more attractive and widely used, reducing reliance on private vehicles by encouraging sustainable transport options, in addition to improving traffic policies to align with urban growth requirements, ensuring smooth and efficient traffic flow.

His Excellency also extended his thanks and appreciation to all the representatives of the government entities, members of the UAE Infrastructure and Housing Council, for their efforts that led to outstanding successes within a short period. These efforts contributed to enhancing the collaborative work between various government entities, both federal and local, and to the implementation of unified national plans that support the infrastructure and housing sectors.

The meeting discussed efforts to enhance electronic connectivity between federal and local entities, which will help eliminate bureaucracy and simplify procedures. This will enable faster and more efficient implementation of projects and initiatives, enhancing coordination and integration between these entities, ensuring the delivery of exceptional and seamless services that meet the expectations of citizens and residents, and aligning with government directions towards comprehensive digital transformation.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the development of an electronic system to manage competitiveness indicators related to infrastructure, transportation, and housing sectors, with the aim of integrating efforts and consolidating them in a unified platform. This will ensure the continuous availability of updated and accurate data, supporting more effective and efficient strategic decision-making. The unified platform will also enhance the ability to monitor performance and assess competitiveness-related indicators, enabling the concerned entities to improve performance levels and keep pace with global trends.