Khalifa, Mohammed receive Iranian FM

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan today welcomed the Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is currently visiting the country as part of a Gulf tour, at Al Rawda Palace in Al Ain.

Sheikh Khalifa said that the UAE welcomed the developments witnessed by Iran and the signing of an initial agreement on its peaceful nuclear programme, highlighting that the UAE is looking forward to strengthening security and stability in the region and to boosting cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of their people.

During his meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister, His Highness the President reviewed the relations between the two countries, and GCC-Iranian relations, in addition to the various developments in the regional and international arenas.

His Highness Sheikh Khalifa conveyed his greetings to the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, wishing him good health and further progress and prosperity for the Iranian people.

The Iranian minister also reciprocated to Sheikh Khalifa the greetings of President Rouhani and Iran's appreciation of the UAE's stance towards the initial agreement between Iran and the P5+1 countries and the United States on its peaceful nuclear programme.

He delivered an invitation from the Iranian President to Sheikh Khalifa to visit Tehran, which His Highness thankfully accepted, to be determined at a later date.

The Iranian minister offered congratulations to the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the UAE’s 42nd National Day anniversary and the winning of Dubai's bid to host Expo 2020, wishing the country and its people further progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The minister stated that the new Iranian government, headed by Hassan Rohani, is keen to strengthen its relations with the Gulf countries, stressing that Iran attaches great importance to relations with its neighbouring countries, especially the United Arab Emirates.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in the Eastern Region, Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, in addition to a number of senior officials and the members of the delegation accompanying the Iranian minister.

Mohammed bin Rashid receives Iranian Foreign Minister

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, received today at his Zabeel Palace Mohammed Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, who conveyed the greetings of Dr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister and Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of issues of common interest and ways to enhance cooperation relations and good neighbourly relations between the UAE and the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to achieve security and prosperity for the peoples of the region, and world peace and the interests of the two neighbouring peoples.

The talks between HH Sheikh Mohammed and the Iranian Foreign Minister also addressed the issue of the agreement recently signed between Iran and the countries of the European Union and the United States on the Iranian nuclear profile.

Sheikh Mohammed received an invitation from Zarif and he accepted it.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of the Dubai Ruler's Court, Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy-Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, Saif Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Reza Fayyad, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a number of senior officials, along with the delegation accompanied the guest.

Mohammed attends Fikr conference

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today marked the official opening of the Annual Conference of the Arab Thought Foundation (Fikr 12), being held at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC under the theme: "Job Creation: 80 Million Jobs by 2020 in the Arab World,’ on 4 & 5 December, 2013.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid praised the major annual event, which brings together Arab intellectuals, thought leaders and innovators, and provides a communication platform for them to exchange views on the most important and fundamental concerns of the Arab world.

HH Sheikh Mohammed commended the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Arab Thought Foundation (ATF), an organization with vast experience in launching development, thought and cultural initiative in the Arab world.

HH Sheikh Mohammed welcomed the guests and participants, and called for identifying strategies and action plans that would support the development of the Arab world.

The event was also attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Governor of Makkah Region, Chairman of the Arab Thought Foundation; His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal and a number of sheikhs, princes and ministers, presidents and directors of departments and institutions, and a host of local, Arab cultural and media representatives.

His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al Faisal expressed his gratitude to the United Arab Emirates, led by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and to Dubai, and congratulated HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the UAE winning the bid to host the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region. He also congratulated the UAE on its 42nd National Day, wishing the UAE government and its people further progress and prosperity.

He recited a poem in which he addressed various issues, such as Islamic values and the Arab civilization, to name a few.

The ceremony paid tribute to the deceased Fikr ambassadors, Ibrahim Muthana and Nazih Sanjaqdar, and joined for a moment of silence in solidarity with Fikr’s ambassador Hassan Karajeh, who is currently imprisoned in an Israeli jail.

HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal presented to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, "The Arab Creativity Award" for the project "Dubai Smart City" Initiative, which was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and has contributed to achieving unprecedented technical and scientific development within the Emirate.

The conference witnessed the participation of 130 Arab intellectuals, thought leaders and innovators, who participate over two days in a number of workshops.

The conference kicked off with an "Experts Session," which was held in partnership with B’huth, under the theme: "A Roadmap for Job Creation in the Arab World". This closed session saw participation from experts and government officials, where they discussed and worked on outlining a roadmap for the development of new business opportunities in the Arab world, in response to the Arab Thought Foundation’s initiative. The session was moderated by Mohammed Baharoon, Vice President of B’huth Research Center in the UAE.

Another closed session titled "Media Impact on the Enhancement of the Culture of Labour Societies" was organised in conjunction with the Experts Sessions. It brought together editors and senior journalists of Arabic newspapers to discuss the media's role in job creation in the Arab world. This session was moderated by Saad Al Ajmi, a well-known academic and media expert from Kuwait.

Four morning workshops were organised. The first workshop titled "Public Policy Enhancement in the Arab World," was held in partnership with Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University in Beirut (AUB), and was moderated by Hana Al Ghali, Main Coordinator of making policies in the Arab world programme, at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs.

The second workshop titled "Rethinking Economic Growth Towards Productive and Inclusive Arab Societies," was organized in partnership with the International Labor Organization (ILO), while the third workshop titled "Labor Mobility Policies" was organized in partnership with International Organization for Migration and the fourth workshop titled "Sustainable Job Creation and Talents Retention" was organized in partnership with Accenture and moderated by Mohammed Al Jashi, Human Resources Consultant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Hamad Al Ammari, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab Thought Foundation, presented the main theme of this year’s Fikr conference at the opening ceremony.

This was followed by the unveiling of a report on "Enabling Jobs Creation in the Arab World", during which the pioneering role of Saudi Aramco (Partner Sponsor) in enabling job creation in the Arab world was highlighted. The main plenary session discussed "Enabling Jobs Creation: Whose Responsibility is it?

Mohammed bin Rashid issues HR law on directors-general in government of Dubai

In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Ministerof UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has issued law No. 08 for 2013 regarding human resources management for directors-general in the government of Dubai.

The law contains the basic provisions regulating human resources management for directors-general in the government of Dubai, powers of appointment and termination of services, job classification, financial allocations, subscription in pension, performance assessment, civilian liability and development plans.

The law will be published in the official gazette.

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