Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has issued a number of directives to ensure better care for orphans and minors so as to become effective contributors to the society.

The move follows the briefing Sheikh Mohammed received on the feedbacks of "The UAE Initiative for Connection with Orphans and Minors."

Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE assists people worldwide, citing that the country has been ranked world's top in providing foreign aid compared to its GNI. He disclosed that the UAE sponsors over 200,000 orphans in various countries through humanitarian initiatives, accounting for three per cent of the total number of orphans who receive sponsorship worldwide. "The UAE has a comprehensive local care system for the orphans and minors, as per world standards. We have to continue upgrading this system."

He added that achieving the top position has become the UAE's culture, not only at the level of leadership, but also at the level of all categories of the society.

Sheikh Mohammed thanked the higher committee of the UAE Initiative for Connection with Orphans and Minors, all agencies and individuals, on activating this initiative and its feedbacks that would contribute to ensuring decent living conditions for this category in the community.

He was briefed about the UAE's first guide about the sponsorship of orphans and minors. The societal participation is the core of implementing the UAE model in sponsorship of those falling in this category.

Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed launched the initiative to meet the requirements of the orphans and minors.

Among others present were H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Initiative, and Khalifa Saeed bin Suleiman, Director General of the Protocol and Hospitality Department in Dubai.