UAE amends traffic laws related to driverless cars, discusses Genome Programme achievements

DNTV, Staff Reporter
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
Sheikh Mohammed said: Today, I chaired a Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, where we reviewed the achievements of the Emirates Genome Council. The Emirati Genome Programme has successfully collected over 600,000 samples from across the country so far, and efforts are underway to expand this to one million samples”
“More than 1,000 of our medical professionals have been trained to support this programme. The contribution of over 600,000 citizens to this programme ensures the development of a clear map of genetic and hereditary diseases in the country, aiding in the creation of targeted treatments for these diseases. This will result in better and stronger healthcare for future generations,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“We encourage everyone to cooperate with this comprehensive national medical programme to make our community healthier and our future generations stronger. Additionally, an experimental launch of premarital screening to cover all genetic and hereditary diseases will take place in the coming period. Under the leadership of Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed, the UAE Genome Council has made significant strides in establishing the country’s global scientific position in this field and utilising this new science to develop comprehensive and integrated healthcare for new generations,” he said.
“We also approved the issuance of a federal law on traffic and road safety, which includes amendments for vehicle classification and the use of modern technologies on roads, keeping pace with the rapid development of transportation means globally. The new legislation aligns with the expansion in the use of self-driving vehicles, electric cars, and various types of personal transportation, leveraging the technological advancements that distinguish our road network in the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed added: “During the meeting, we also approved the formation of a working team led by the Ministry of Economy to develop the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry. This aims to chart a new path for its role in enhancing the economy, opening markets, building new partnerships with the world, and enabling our local companies to enter global markets. The rapid economic growth in the country requires continuous structural changes to keep pace with developments.”
He further said: “We also committed to the principles and recommendations of the International Code for the Protection of Tourists issued by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. This will be used as a guiding manual for our tourism institutions to implement its principles. The UAE ranks among the top countries globally in safety and leads the region and many countries worldwide in international tourism. International cooperation to provide better services for global tourism is part of our ongoing economic work.”
Sheikh Mohammed added: “During today’s Cabinet meeting, we also tasked the Ministry of Finance with representing the UAE and following up on all its participations in the various working groups within the BRICS financial track, which the UAE recently joined, in cooperation and partnership with the Central Bank of the UAE. Our membership in this important global economic bloc reflects our commitment to working with everyone, building economic bridges with all active economic blocs worldwide, and our commitment to establishing diverse global economic relations.”
Sheikh Mohammed added: “In today’s session, we also approved a general framework for sustainable government digital transformation and a charter for the use of artificial intelligence in the country. This charter ensures compliance with the highest standards of safety and privacy, guaranteeing a positive and lasting impact on society.”
A federal law on road traffic
In legislative affairs, the Cabinet approved a federal law on road traffic. The legislation provisions include the classification of vehicles, general obligations of drivers, categories excluded from obtaining driving licenses, conditions for granting licenses, suspension of driving licenses and permits, driving schools, vehicle insurance and inspection, and obligations related to self-driving vehicle.
Achievements of the Emirates Genome Council
In Health and advanced science, the CaBinet reviewed the achievements of the Emirates Genome Council, chaired by Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council. Council’s accomplishments included launching the National Genome Strategy, aimed at advancing healthcare and quality of life in the UAE through establishing an integrated ecosystem for developing and implementing precision medicine and personalised healthcare programs.
The strategy also seeks to support physicians and sector experts in taking proactive steps and more effective treatment paths, to further develop R&D capabilities, broadening the use of Genome science, and instilling international partnerships among local and international institutions. Additionally, the achievements include the issuance of a federal decree-law regulating the use of the human genome. In terms of comprehensiveness, this new legislation is the first of its kind globally in genome regulation.
The Emirati Genome Programme has reached an exceptional achievement and a remarkable milestone of collecting over 600,000 gene samples from donors, in 102 collection sites in the UAE. The number of collected samples represents 60% of the one million samples target, aimed at profiling and determining gene sequencing in the UAE.
This will facilitate developing cures tailored for some genetic disorders, and better healthcare for the coming generations. More than 1100 healthcare employees have been trained to collect genetic samples. Work is underway to launch new phases of the genome tests regarding newborns and premarital health screening detecting all genetics and hereditary diseases.
Housing aid increase
The Cabinet also approved a decision to increase housing assistance within residential neighborhoods, raising the maximum housing assistance amount for all beneficiaries to Dhs1.2 million. The Cabinet reviewed the results of a study on aligning legislation related to the financing mechanism of Sheikh Zayed Housing Program loans with Central Bank policies.
The General Framework for Sustainable Digital Transformation and the Ethical Charter of Development and Use of AI
To advance the UAE’s leading position in the digital economy sector, the Cabinet adopted the General Framework for Sustainable Digital Transformation as a guiding policy focusing on integrating sustainability principles into government digital transformation, supporting the UAE’s commitments to combating climate change impacts and promoting a sustainable future.