UAE: Top Arab country in happiness and satisfaction indicators

The United Arab Emirates, on its 42nd National Day, has maintained its top position among Arab countries, advancing three positions globally from last year, to rank in 14th position in the United  Nations survey for indicators of happiness and satisfaction among peoples of the world for the year 2013.

The UAE occupied the top position among Arab countries and ranked 17th worldwide in the first survey conducted by the United Nations in 2012.

The UAE has also maintained, for the second year in a row, its first position in the Arab world in the Global Human Development’s Report for 2011, initiated by the United Nations Development  Programme. It advanced two positions to 30th place globally from a total 187 countries included since the report’s launch on January 8, 2012 in the capital, Abu Dhabi, in recognition of the distinguished stature achieved by the UAE at regional and international levels.

The report indicated that not only does the UAE have the highest levels of per capita income, but it has also made unprecedented achievements in terms of human development, particularly in the health and education sectors, thanks to its successful strategies and visions for investment in both areas.

The report classified the UAE as one of only two countries in the region in the "most advanced" category, a category indicating very high human development.

International excellence in Global Competitiveness Indicators

According to the results of Indicators of International Competitiveness Report for the World Economic Forum (Davos) for the year 2013-2014, the U.A.E. advanced five positions in a row in the overall competitiveness of its economy in one year,  preceding countries such as France, Ireland and Australia, occupying advanced positions in many indicators, and ranking in first place globally for the quality of its roads, and the absence of organised crime.

The UAE also occupied the top spot in the world to contain the effects of inflation, second in the world in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and technology transfer, third globally in citizens' confidence in its political leaders, and fourth globally in the efficiency of its markets.

The UAE has also ranked third position in the world in the index of government procurement of advanced technology, second worldwide in the lack of impact of crime on the business sector, third worldwide in infrastructure for air transport and fourth worldwide in the quality of infrastructure.

The Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Nahyan, affirmed that the UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is progressing steadily in all development indicators and the government constantly follows up on these indicators issued by prestigious international institutions as "decline is not one of our choices in government."

The Global Competitiveness Report (2013-2014), issued by the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, revealed that the UAE jumped from ranking 24th in 2012 to 19th place in the general classification of competitive countries for the year 2013.

The UAE has maintained for eight years in a row its presence in the "economies based on creativity and innovation" phase, based on the methodology of the World Economic Forum, which classified 148 countries within three main phases covered by the report.

The economies based on creativity and innovation" phase are identified as  economies that can maintain the highest levels of wages and work with strategic planning to improve the quality of life and standards of living.

These economies are also working to strengthen the capacity of their national companies to compete locally and globally through products and quality services.

Dedication of Shura approach in governance

The Shura approach has been dedicatedly adhered to in governance over more than four decades of democratic practice of the Federal National Council, since the announcement of the founding of the  United Arab Emirates, for the continuation of the constitutional building of the state.

The march of the FNC, which represents the legislative and oversight authority in the country, witnessed substantial developments in quality, set off by the announcement of the Political Empowerment Programme of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2005, to stimulate the role of the FNC and support the participation of citizens in political life and national activities.
 
The first phase of this programme, accomplished in 2006, was to enable elections for half of the members of the Federal National Council, which consists of 40 members, and established a ministry concerned with the affairs of the development of parliamentary work. The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs received the endorsement of the Supreme Council of the Union on the 2nd of December 2008, on amending  the constitution to expand the powers of the Council and enable it as a legislative and regulatory authority to continue in the consolidation and development of the democratic process.

Those elections were marked by a large turnout of citizens and the wide participation of women , both in the voting process and by their standing for election, and resulted in the victory of the first woman in the state in a parliamentary institution, and the appointment of seven others, so the percentage of women's representation in the Council reached 18 percent.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed at that time his determination to continue on the path of political empowerment and deepening the democratic practice.

Sheikh Khalifa said, "We maintain our pledge to get the democratic experience to its objectives by expanding the scope of participation and strengthening the role of the National Council as a legislative and regulatory authority."

The second elections were held on 24th September, 2011, in which 20 members were elected, representing half of the members of the Council. This session was also characterised by the victory of one woman, Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi, First Deputy Chairman of the FNC in the previous parliamentary session, and the appointment of six other female members, reflecting the unlimited confidence in the capabilities of women and their contributions to the march of national action.

On 12th February, 2013, the Federal National Council (FNC) celebrated the 41st anniversary of its establishment, as one of the five constitutional authorities of the State.

The FNC, since its inception, has contributed in the adoption of legislation and laws, which regulate walks of life and raise the issues of citizens and their needs of services and development, perusing the performance of the executive bodies in addition to the adoption of national issues in various parliamentary, regional and international events and forums.

The FNC has, between its inception in 1972 until 22nd January 2013,  held 493 work sessions in which the council has made 7 constitutional amendments, and approved 533 drafts of federal laws.

The FNC discussed, within the framework of its regulatory mission, 282 general topics, and raised 493 questions to ministers, having issued 245 recommendations to the government after due discussion of the topics and questions.

The FNC also issued 67 statements on a number of local, Arab, regional and international issues and briefed on 675 international treaties and conventions.

The FNC has participated regularly and effectively in all conferences and meetings of Gulf, Arab, Islamic and international Parliamentary Unions, most recently being its participation in the celebration of the Arab Parliament of the World Day for Democracy, which was organised in mid-September 2013 in Cairo.

The United Arab Emirates was selected for the chairmanship of the Permanent Arab Parliament in the elections of its first session, took which place on 12th December, 2012 in Cairo, with Ahmed Mohammed Al Jarwan, a member of the Federal National Council, elected as Speaker of the Arab Parliament.

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