Mansour bin Zayed stresses UAE’s leadership in embracing scientific research as key pillar of country’s innovation strategy

H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, has commended the high level of interest from around the world for the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science that aims to increase rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions around the world and promote water security.

Following the close of deadline for research pre-proposals in its second cycle on March 17th, the programme has received remarkable interest with 91 pre-proposal submissions from 398 scientists, researchers and technologists affiliated to 180 institutes from 45 countries around the world.

Extoling the positive progress registered by the programme in its second cycle, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, "The UAE continues to prompt cooperation among the world’s leading researchers to find alternatives to addressing the pressing challenges of water security. The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science demonstrates the nation’s commitment in emerging as a hub for international scientific collaboration, innovation, and excellence in the field of rain enhancement science."

He added, "The global attention that surrounds this initiative is a validation of the UAE’s leadership in embracing scientific research as a key pillar of the country’s innovation strategy."

The research initiative commenced its second cycle in January of this year. In less than two months, the programme has broadened geographical participation in the new cycle, including academics from Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Georgia, Hungary, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sweden, and Turkey.

Among the 91 pre-proposals this year, the United States topped the list with 16 submissions, closely followed by the UAE with 11.

The second cycle of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science follows the success of its inaugural edition in 2015, launched by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and managed by the UAE National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology, NCMS.