The ministries of health and economy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on common economic issues.

The MoU was signed at the headquarters of the ministry of economy by Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licensing and Humaid Bin Butti Al Muhairi, Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Issues at the Ministry of Economy.

The signing ceremony was attended by Engineer Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Dr. Salem Abdul Rahman Al Darmaki, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health.

The MoU comes as part of the efforts of both ministries to enhance co-operation between both parties and facilitate their work. The Ministry of Economy is the only authorised ministry to issue a common directory about economic activities in the United Arab Emirates and standardise the titles of these activities in coordination with competent local and federal authorities to obtain correct economic database and support the role of economic practices in the UAE while the Ministry of Health is authorised to give a prior approval to resume the activities of these services.

Following the signing ceremony, Humaid Bin Butti Al Muhairi, stated that the memorandum of understanding comes as part of the ministry’s policies according to the instructions of Engineer Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and the continuous support of Engineer Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, to enhance bilateral relations and co-operation with strategic partners in the public and private sectors as well as the local and federal authorities especially the Ministry of Health.

Al Muhairi emphasised that the Ministry of Economy seeks to enhance institutional competitiveness and achieve comprehensive development according to the strategies of the federal government and national identity. The 2011-2013 strategy adopted several topics that would strengthen partnerships with the authorities and organisations of both public and private sectors to support common partnerships, maintain economic diversity, raise the standards of national economy to compete internationally and sustain the competitive capabilities of all economic sectors and at the same time find an encouraging environment for foreign investment based on the common goals and strategies that would be of benefit to the public welfare.

Al Muhairi added that the signed MoU establishes a solid institutional relationship between both parties in the field of common economic activities. The MoU also unites the efforts of both ministries of health and economy to achieve the main goals and objectives of the public welfare and support the development and progress of the country.

Additionally, Dr. Amin Al Amiri stated that the memorandum of understanding aims for enhancing cooperation and bilateral work between both parties in common interests, unifying the names of economic activities according to international classifications, providing an effective common channel between both parties to facilitate their work and tasks and exchange experiences and knowledge in relation to the specialisations of each party.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, the Ministry of Health will add or delete some activities in co-ordination with the Ministry of Economy in case the latter wishes to add, amend or delete any economic activities by filling in the attached form of the MoU.

The Ministry of Economy, based on this memorandum of understanding, will also send a circulation of any amendment, addition, or deletion of any economic activity that was provided by the Ministry of Health to all competent local authorities to provide the economic licensing in the emirate.