SHARJAH, 25th August, 2026 (WAM) -- His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has approved the new administrative divisions for Khorfakkan City, comprising four suburbs: Khorfakkan City, Al Owainat, Al Sih and Al Sabihiyah.
His Highness also announced the commencement of work on plans and studies and the tendering process to establish a hospital similar to the University Hospital branch in Al Madam in each of Kalba, Khorfakkan and Dibba Al Hisn.
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah said in a phone-in on the “Direct Line” programme: “I was informed that there is overcrowding at the hospital and clinics in Kalba, so we wanted to address this matter quickly and contacted the Ministry of Health and Prevention, which responded to meet all the needs. They said they are now putting in place a mechanism to increase the number of doctors, medicines, facilities and construction. As for the three hospitals we previously announced, we decided to study the University Hospital branch in Al Madam as a model in terms of cost. The hospital is now nearing completion, and similar hospitals will be established in Kalba, Khorfakkan and Dibba Al Hisn. The Sharjah Health Authority will now begin preparing the plans and studies and conducting the tenders, which will take around five or six months. These hospitals, whether large or small, require budget funding, but we have found a solution and set out their plan midway through the year.”
His Highness added, “We have approved the new administrative divisions for Khorfakkan City, comprising four suburbs: Khorfakkan City, Al Owainat, Al Sih and Al Sabihiyah. The Khorfakkan suburbs plan shows that the Khorfakkan City suburb extends from Khorfakkan Aqaba to Al Luluyah Aqaba. The mountains in this area will all become green, God willing, with specialised companies undertaking their planting with dense, fruit-bearing trees. As this is virgin land, we will introduce some small animals and some beneficial species, such as gerbils, the mountain mouse and others. The plan also shows a yellow area called Al Owainat suburb, which is extensive and has mountains that will be levelled to create neighbourhoods. We also have Al Sih suburb, which has Al Aween Mountain. There is also a small mountain in this area whose name people pronounce incorrectly, calling it ‘Shuqair’, whereas its name is ‘Shukair’. This word means ‘small’, and ‘Al Shukair’ means the smallest of all things.”
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah continued, “Khorfakkan City has neighbourhoods, with each neighbourhood known by its own name, and it has a Khorfakkan City Council. Development in Khorfakkan will now proceed at a rapid pace because matters have become clear following the approval of the plan, just as happened in Kalba after we approved the city’s administrative divisions, which included the suburbs of Kalba City, Khor Kalba, Al Ghayl, Al Saf, Al Dahiyat and Al Sur.”
His Highness added, “Tomorrow, God willing, we will hold an extended meeting with the Sharjah Districts Affairs Department to determine the mechanism for electing council members. As for neighbourhood officials, we hope that the neighbourhood official will be a mosque imam, teacher, counsellor or someone known for good work. They will communicate with me personally, because this person will not be responsible only for the neighbourhood, but also for the people living there and their requests and needs. If he meets their needs, they will obey his guidance to uphold religion, language, heritage, dignity, self-respect and other good principles and customs that I will place in this man’s care. I will have great confidence in him, as this man will connect me with the homes, he visits every day. In this way, I will shorten the route for myself and reach all the homes quickly, instead of going around all the areas east and west, where someone or some home may be overlooked. This is why we are appointing an official in every neighbourhood. Everything has a reason, and we are now organising Kalba and Khorfakkan, and will also organise the Central Region and Sharjah City. We do not forget anything; rather, we organise and keep pace with development. We pray to Allah to grant us health, wellbeing and the opportunity to do good, praise be to Allah.”
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah concluded His Highness’ remarks by explaining the mechanism for applying for scholarships for Emirati students and children of Emirati mothers from the Emirate of Sharjah, saying, “Many people are requesting scholarships provided by the Sharjah Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research to attend universities in the Emirate. We provide scholarships at the three new universities — Khorfakkan, Kalba and Al Dhaid — starting from a high school average of 70%, and the required average will be raised next year, God willing. As for universities where scholarship acceptance is conditional on an average of 85%, we have received many applications with averages below this percentage. Accordingly, I directed yesterday that applications starting from an average of 84.5% be accepted. We cannot lower the required average any further except in cases involving special considerations. For example, we had a student at the University of Khorfakkan whose high school average was one percentage point below the required level. An official asked me to admit him to the university, so I told him: ‘It is not you who will get him into the university; his circumstances will.’ This student was the son of a martyr, a student who had lost his father, who had sacrificed his life for this beloved nation. We take the children of martyrs into consideration. When the application of the martyr’s son reached me, I signed it immediately, while we do not accept applications citing worldly excuses such as travel and the like. We hasten to fulfil everything related to the hereafter, praise be to Allah.”