Dr. Hafez Ghanem. said: “Over the past few years the World Bank provided a number of studies related to health, education and infrastructure to support the process of improving the business environment and increasing competitiveness levels in the UAE. We hope to offer the best international expertise in the coming years in order to contribute to the UAE’s continual economic growth. We also wish to introduce other countries to the UAE’s significant economic and social development experiences.”
During the press conference, HE Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of MoF explained that the World Bank provides technical support to the Ministry in implementing a number of projects. These include public spending on education and infrastructure.
HE confirmed that the World Bank Group also provides technical support to local governments, as it currently does for the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department through a programme that strengthens the institutional capacity and performance of the courts, as well as for the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development in areas of competitive units and focusing on the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. In Dubai, the Bank has provided technical support in relation to the project for improving education outcomes. The Bank has also provided technical support from their specialists to the Ras Al Khaimah government on the Sheikh Saqr Program for Government Excellence as well as other projects to enhance the UAE’s investment climate.
In 2003, the UAE hosted annual meetings for the World Bank Group and the IMF for the first time in the Middle East and North African region. In addition, Dubai hosted the regional office of the International Finance Corporation, one of the institutions of WBG that opened in 2005. The IFC’s mission is to reduce poverty and promote prosperity in developing countries by providing funding, advice and asset management services.
