Gulf News

Building on human capital paramount to any strategy

- SHARJAH BY SAJILA SASEENDRAN Senior Reporter

Government communicat­ions should aim at enhancing the human capital and boosting relations and values that help develop nations, Shaikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Head of Sharjah Media Office, said in his opening speech at the 10th Internatio­nal Government Communicat­ion Forum (IGCF) at Sharjah’s Expo Centre yesterday.

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), the post-pandemic edition of the IGCF got going under the theme ‘Historic lessons, Future ambitions.’

Speaking at the inaugural session, Shaikh Sultan said, under the wise leadership of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has always been putting human capital first and foremost in its agenda and moves forward in building the intellectu­al capabiliti­es of its human capital.

He said the two-day forum envisions the future of government communicat­ions and will review mechanisms, tools and changes in public perception­s.

Prime objective

Guest of Honour of this edition of IGCF, Prince Turki Al Faisal, founder and trustee of King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies in Saudi Arabia, said protection and prosperity of the people should always be the objective of government­s and their communicat­ion.

“We need to learn from the past and move towards the public benefit of humanity. Public good should be the objective of government communicat­ion,” he said.

Prince Turki called for a change in and reshaping of the current internatio­nal order for government­s to face the new realities of the world. Calling for enhanced collaborat­ions between the Arab League and the GCC Council to boost regional security, he said: “We will never be taken seriously unless we take ourselves seriously.”

Ahmad Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, welcomed Prince Turki’s suggestion­s to improve unity in the region threatened by many risks and interventi­ons by superpower­s and regional powers.

He pointed out that a major part of the problems faced in the region and elsewhere resulted from unhealthy relationsh­ips between the government­s and people. “No developmen­t process can be implemente­d without a well aware and fully informed people,” he said.

 ?? Virendra Saklani/Gulf News ?? Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, and Shihab Al Hammadi, Director of the Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority at IGCF 2021.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, and Shihab Al Hammadi, Director of the Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority at IGCF 2021.

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