Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority (ADCDA) and Rabdan Academy have signed an agreement to strengthen their collaboration in enhancing the overall security, safety, and management of emergencies, crises, and disasters in Abu Dhabi.

The initiative aims to foster joint programmes and research endeavours to enhance the training of national experts in emergency, crisis and disaster management. It also aims to further capacity for future foresight, enabling effective adaptation and response to evolving events and changes, incorporating the most up-to-date global practices and methodologies.

The signing ceremony took place at ADCDA headquarters, witnessed by Brigadier General Salem Abdullah Bin Barak Al Dhaheri, Director-General of ADCDA, and James Morse, President of Rabdan Academy, along with representatives from both parties.

This strategic partnership aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences, technologies, and services related to safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness, and crisis management (SSDEC). Additionally, the collaboration will provide technical and advisory services to develop joint programmes and research, contributing to the training of specialised national cadres in emergency, crisis and disaster management.

Brigadier General Al Dhaheri said, “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding represents the culmination of the ADCDA’s governmental and strategic objectives. It aims to enhance the ADCDA’s workforce by providing specialised national personnel and creating opportunities for their professional growth. The agreement facilitates the exchange of experiences, fosters the development of capabilities and skills, establishes a mechanism for designing joint training plans, and promotes collaboration in research and development within scientific and academic domains. Additionally, it facilitates the organisation of seminars, conferences, and joint workshops, as well as the provision of training courses.”

Al Dhaheri said that partnering with Rabdan Academy would broaden the horizons for exchanging mutual benefits and leveraging the capabilities of both parties in enhancing work development, training, and consultancy. This collaboration embodies the vision of the ADCDA to strengthen relationships with strategic partners and elevate work standards in alignment with the Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.

For his part, Morse said the partnership signified a new phase of cooperation between the two parties across various fields. He highlighted Rabdan Academy's commitment to supporting institutions and individuals, enhancing national resilience, and developing specialised professionals in diverse sciences and strategic fields.

Morse said, “We believe that Rabdan Academy and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority share a common national message, and we have a lot to achieve together in the next stage. This agreement will serve as a framework for our strategic cooperation, uniting efforts to strengthen the principle of integrated emergency management.”

The collaboration between the two parties will involve the exchange of best practices in emergency response and risk management, along with the transfer of technical and practical knowledge in training and development, risk analysis and evaluation, and the formulation of solutions and recommendations for foreseeable risks.

The partnership aims to produce high-quality outputs, including scientific research, professional and academic programmes, training courses and specialised studies. These endeavours will enhance future foresight capabilities, enabling adaptive and responsive actions aligned with global best practices, methodologies and policies.

The joint efforts will contribute to the development of professional development programmes specialising in the SSDEC domain, together with seminars and workshops to transfer knowledge and skills to various groups, ultimately enhancing national resilience.