A new federal law on traffic was approved on Monday by the UAE Cabinet, according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

Under the new law, there will be amendments to the classification of vehicles and the use of modern technologies on the roads. This move aims to keep pace with the rapid development witnessed by the transport industry globally.

The Dubai Ruler said that the new legislation will cover the expansion of the use of self-driving vehicles and electric cars. The law will also look at various types of personal means of transportation, and reliance on transportation as a whole.

The provisions also highlight the categories excluded from obtaining driving licenses, suspension of driving licenses and permits, vehicle insurance and inspection, and regulations for driving schools.

The federal traffic law will take advantage of the technological progress that characterises the country's road network.

This law was announced by Sheikh Mohammed after he chaired a meeting of the UAE Cabinet, where several matters were discussed and approved, in line with the country's commitment to development.

Communicable diseases
Residents of the UAE now have a legislation that will help combat communicable diseases. The new legislation looks at the provisions needed to establish a legal framework that will help respond to such diseases.

It highlights prevention, monitoring, reporting, and handling according to their nature, severity, and spread of each disease. When Covid-19 hit, the UAE effectively put in place social distancing guidelines and administered vaccinations, curbing the spread of the disease efficiently. The new law built on the UAE’s expertise accumulated, while handling the pandemic, to protect public health.

Protection of tourists
The UAE is a country rated among the safest globally, and sees an influx of tourists from all parts of the world.

In line with efforts to provide better services for international tourism, the Cabinet also approved the country’s commitment to the principles and recommendations of the International Code for the Protection of Tourists issued by the United Nations Tourism Organization.

The code will be used as a guide for tourism institutions and its principles shall be applied, said Sheikh Mohammed.

Emirati Genome Programme
Under this programme, in a global first-of-its-kind, a federal decree law was issued, regulating the use of the human genome.

With collection of more than 600,000 samples from the country, the Emirati Genome Programme aims to create a map of genetic and hereditary diseases in the country.

In a pilot, pre-marital screening will also be extended to include all genetic and hereditary diseases, the Dubai ruler said.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was briefed on the achievements of the Emirati Genome Council, and work is underway to expand the amount of samples to one million.

More than 1,000 medical personnel have been trained to support this programme. The collection of genetic samples from different parts of the country will also help in the development of medicines specific to prevalent diseases.

The Dubai Ruler called on citizens to cooperate with the programme to ensure stronger healthcare for future generations.

Money laundering regulations
As a developing economy that holds relations with diverse blocs, the country also seeks to combat practices such as money laundering and financing terrorism. Under a recently approved legislation, the Unified List, 41 penalties are included to fight against such financial crimes.

In a move to ensure justice, and ease procedures for the complainants, UAE has also ensured that flexible periods of time is provided to submit necessary documents to the court to prove a grievance.

BRICS membership
The UAE recently joined the global economic bloc BRICS. The country is keen to build economic bridges with diverse blocs in the world, and maintain global economic relations.

The Ministry of Finance, in partnership with the Central Bank, was chosen to represent UAE to follow up on its participation in the various working groups within the financial track of the BRICS group.

Accelerating economic growth
During the meeting, the formation of a working group to develop the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) in the country, was approved. This group would be headed by the Ministry of Economy, and strengthen the role of FCCI in the economy.

The group would also help in building new global partnerships, enabling local companies to enter international markets.

Constant structure is needed to keep pace with changes when increasing economic growth in the country, the Dubai Ruler said.

Digital transformation
While artificial intelligence continues to grow across the globe, its' ethical use remains one of the key concerns raised. With UAE's leading position in AI, it seeks to address these issues.

In line with this aim, the Cabinet approved the Ethical Charter of Development and Use of AI, ensuring responsible use of technology and respect for human values.

The country has a futuristic vision for ways of governance, and adopted a framework launching a paper-less government initiative, and developing manuals that guide the handling of digital waste such as old digital devices in the federal government.

Earlier, in a first step, Dubai appointed 22 Chief AI officers across different government entities as part of Sheikh Mohammed's vision to "position Dubai as a global hub in developing and deploying AI solutions." The appointment of the officers was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.

Transport, sustainable energy, and more
An agreement for a railway project with Oman, linking the two countries, was signed.

As people all over the world become increasingly aware about the need for sustainable energy sources, the UAE has signed an agreement with Kazakhstan for the implementation of a wind power plant.

To ensure legal cooperation, the UAE signed agreements with Republic of Kenya regarding the extradition of criminals, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and the transfer of convicted persons.

UAE has also signed agreements with Mauritius, Costa Rica, and Congo Brazzaville on comprehensive economic partnership.