10.34 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Sheikh Mohammed chairs Cabinet meeting

Published
By Wam

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the continuous development of the federal government laws and financial systems primarily aims to preserve the public fund and consolidate accountability and transparency regarding the state's general revenues.

Sheikh Mohammed's remark was made during the Cabinet session held today at the Presidential Palace.

Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs attended the Cabinet session.

The Council of Ministers approved the bylaws of the federal law on the state's general revenues.

The new bylaw No. 01 of the year 2011 on the state's general revenues is aimed at coordinating financial policies, upgrading the efficiency of law and financial systems to support the general budget, specifying rights and terms of reference for revenue generating authorities, exercising control over revenues to achieve transparency, as well as to oblige authorities to set strategies to develop sources of revenue.

The Cabinet also endorsed the agreement between the UAE and the International Air Transport Association (Iata), which includes a request from Iata to open a regional office in Abu Dhabi to support its activities in the region.

Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement indicates that the UAE has become a regional and international hub for the aviation industry and the hosting of aviation events. He added that the office would add more expertise and knowledge to Emirati cadres regarding the streamlining of international air traffic.

The Council of Ministers approved an amendment to restructure the Board of Directors of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa).

Eng. Ayesha Omer Al Midfa, Director of Infrastructure projects at the Ministry of Public Works was named as a member to replace Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Public Works.

The Cabinet approved the restructure of the Board of Directors of Emirates Development Bank, chaired by Khalid Mohammed Salem Belami.

It also approved the setting up of an office for legal affairs at the Secretariat of the Cabinet at the Ministry for Cabinet Affairs. This will provide legal support and counseling to the Cabinet and the Ministerial Councils. The office will prepare legal research and studies, study draft laws and interpret memoranda and federal decrees, and enable the spread of legal knowledge among federal employees.

The Cabinet approved the agreement between the UAE and Turkey on electricity generation and the extraction of brown coal (lignite and sub-bituminous coal) from Al Bustan province in Turkey. It also endorsed the agreement between the UAE and Sri Lanka to set up a joint committee chaired by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries to strengthen the economic ties of trade and tourism.

The Council of Ministers approved a number of agreements with Niger and Montenegro in the field of aviation, as well as a cooperative agreement with France on the technology of space remote sensing.

On the sidelines of the Cabinet meeting, Sheikh Mohammed honoured employees of the "UAE Government Leaders Programme - the second batch of Future Leaders".

He told them that the state needs distinguished and highly educated Emirati cadres in different specialisations.

"Leadership is a continuous journey of achievement and development and changing lives of people for the better," Sheikh Mohammed said, noting that each person versed in his knowledge is a leader, and every top achiever is also a leader. And the best type of leadership is the one that makes a positive difference in the lives of others and adds something new to society.

Attends AUD's graduation ceremony

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended a ceremony for the 16th commencement exercise of the American University in Dubai (AUD) at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sunday.

The ceremony, marking the graduation of more than 450students in various disciplines, took place in the presence of Dubai Deputy Ruler Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Education Humaid Mohammed Obeid Al Qattami, Director-General of Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, senior officials, dignitaries, educational leaders and parents of the graduates.

Shortly after entering Sheikh Rashid Hall, His Highness and the attendees listened to a rendition of the UAE and USA national anthems, followed by a speech from the AUD's Vice President, Elias Bou Saab.

In his speech, Bou Saab cited some examples of Dubai success story, including attracting students, scholars and experts to its educational institutions.
He said the achievements made in higher education, digital economy and information technology fields reflect the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.  

At the conclusion of his speech, Bou Saab introduced the commencement speakers Arianna Huffington, the chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group and Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Mayor of the US city of Los Angeles.

Arianna Huffington, who is originally from Greece, spoke about her journey when she moved to England when she was 16 and graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Economics.

At 21, she became president of the famed debating society, the Cambridge Union.
Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa began his speech with a salute to Sheikh Mohammed for the great achievements he saw during his visit to Dubai.

He congratulated AUD, its students and its teaching staff for the successes made throughout the 18 years of its existence.
 
Following the speeches, Sheikh Mohammed distributed graduation certificates to great applause. His Highness shook hands with the graduating students and congratulated them on their success.

Sheikh Mohammed then posed for the memorial photos with the graduates and faculty.

The graduates received certificates in Master of Business Administration (MBA) Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BS Comp E), Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interior Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Visual Communication

Speaking on behalf of their fellow students, this year's top graduates at AUD, Sana Dia'ei and Mohammed Hussain Mohammedi thanked in separate speeches Sheikh Mohammed, the faculty and their families for the care given to the students through their graduation.
In remarks towards the end of the ceremony, AUD President Dr Lance de Masi thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his patronage and support of AUD and the education in UAE generally. He congratulated the students on their graduation.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum left the ceremony hall ceremony surrounded by the graduates among applauses and cheers. 
 
Honours UAE Government Leaders Programme

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today honoured employees of  the “UAE Government Leaders Program - Future Leaders category".

Present at the ceremony were Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The "UAE Government Leaders Program - Future Leaders category", was launched in 2008 under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Sheikh Mohammed delivered graduation certificates to 30 participants of the programme, working in various ministries and institutions of the Federal Government.

Sheikh Mohammed congratulated the graduates on their achievement on passing this program, which is organized by the Cabinet Office, in cooperation and coordination with the Federal Authority for Human Resources.

The Vice President wished the promising Leadership candidates success in the service of their country and encouraged them to work to develop their potential in order to achieve their personal goals as well as the noble national goals of the UAE society.

The government sponsored programme aims to enable the Federal government to achieve strategic objectives and ensure strengthening the capacity of officials and employees, as well as to maintain human resources with high potential along with the adoption of a systematic approach to sustain the availability of qualified leadership.

Since its launch, around 157 Leadership participants have graduated and are now spread over more than 45 Ministries and Federal Authorities. The levels of leadership included in the programme are: Strategic Leadership, Executive Leadership and Future Leadership in addition to a fourth category in the programme which is Youth Leadership .

The graduation ceremony was attended by Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Humaid bin Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami, Minister of Education, and Chairman of the Board of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, Lt. General Misbah Rashid Al Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice President, Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocols and Hospitality in Dubai and a number of senior officials.