The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) – Host Sponsor of the 24th World Energy Congress (WEC) – and Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) have signed a strategic partnership agreement whereby DoE joins the project launched by EAG last year to support the Zayed Agricultural Centre for Development and Rehabilitation.
Located in Al Ain’s Hazaa Al Boosh area, the Centre is affiliated with the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, and aims to support the strategic objectives of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to enforce environmental sustainability principles.
The partnership agreement was signed in the Department’s pavilion at the 24th World Energy Congress in Abu Dhabi, by the DoE’s Undersecretary His Excellency Mohammed bin Jarsh Al Falasi and Khalid Ghaith Al Muhairbi, Honorary President, Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility, Etihad Airways Group. It is part of the ‘Greenhouse Initiative’ for People pf Determination, launched by EAG in 2018, where the DoE is one of the main sponsors for phases two and three of the project.
The partnership reaffirms both parties’ commitment to the People of Determination, and their dedication to promoting sustainability and conservation of the environment, especially in light of the organic farming programmes adopted by the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Over the next two years, the DoE and the Etihad Aviation Group will provide support for the Centre to acquire five new greenhouses, a specialised vegetable and fruit packaging facility, as well as a dedicated desalination plant serving the Centre. The Group had set up five greenhouses during the first year of the project.
This agreement is a significant addition to the EAG Greenhouse Project, particularly in terms of the support it provides for People of Determination in the UAE. The project seeks to empower People of Determination, provide them with vocational training and skills development, and enable them to maintain a regular income.
“People of Determination are an important segment of the UAE community,” said H.E. Jarsh Al Falasi. “Supporting this segment and providing them with opportunities to learn and work is a national duty underlined at the People of Determination Retreat, held in March with great support from our wise leadership.”
The DoE Undersecretary expressed pride in the special partnership between the Department and Etihad Aviation Group, adding: “Ensuring a safe and sustainable supply of water is a leading objective for the DoE as it moves forward to achieve its strategic aspirations. Setting solid and sound foundations for the desalination sector in Abu Dhabi is a prominent item on our agenda, and while we witness the ongoing development of the Taweelah Desalination Plant megaproject, we are also working to provide a small-scale desalination plant to support an important segment of Emirati society – People of Determination.”
For his part, EAG’s Khalid Ghaith Al Mehairbi said: “Etihad Aviation Group is committed in supporting People of Determination through various initiatives that seek to integrate them into the wider community. We are delighted to be cooperating with the Department of Energy to provide more opportunities for this segment to play their part in the UAE’s sustainable development.
“This initiative empowers them to leave their mark and express themselves in society, in addition to providing them with stable income from selling organic produce and encouraging them to continue to hone their professional skills and advance their career.”
