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29 March 2024

Mohammed announces 'biggest structural changes' to UAE government

Published
By Vicky Kapur/Wam

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced sweeping changes to the federal government ministries during a ‘live’ conversation with his 10 million followers on social media on .

In probably a world’s first, he announced “biggest structural changes in the history of the federation” on Twitter.

“I would like to announce to the people of the UAE that the UAE President has approved the biggest structural change in the Federal Government,” he said.

His Highness said, “After consultation with my brother Mohammed bin Zayed,” he was announcing “the adoption of a new detailed structure of the federal government of the state.”

In a major overhaul of the UAE’s federal government structure, His Highness announced the restructuring of several ministries and the creation of new ministerial positions to improve efficiency and effective delivery of services.

“The Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, tasked with devising strategies for the future, becomes the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and The Future,” he said.

His Highness added that the Ministry will have a specific remit of preparing the UAE for a post-oil future.

Through the hashtag #WorldGovSummit, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed his vision for the next generation of government and announced major structural changes to the UAE federal government in preparation for the next stage of development in the UAE.

New ministerial posts have been created with the objective of promoting happiness and tolerance in UAE society.

“We’ve introduced the post of Minister of State for Happiness, whose primary mission is to harmonise all government plans, programs and policies to achieve a happier society,” HH tweeted.

“A new post, Minister of State for Happiness, will align and drive government policy to create social good and satisfaction,” he said.

“The post of Minister of State for Tolerance has been created to promote tolerance as a fundamental value in UAE society,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“In the new government strategy, we will have a roadmap to outsource most government services to the private sector,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“We can't lead the future with tools from the past, and we can't accomplish quantum leaps in growth without conceptualising a new way of governance,” he said.

“Changes include merging the Ministries of Education and Higher Education under the ministers and one with the Ministers of State for his support in the national task,” he tweeted.

“We decided to create the Emirates Foundation for Schools to manage public schools and give it the authority and independence to run all public schools,” he said.

 

HH explained that the “Emirates Foundation for Schools will be run by an independent board of directors and will be accountable to the government for achieving national targets in education.”

In addition, the Ministry of Education’s extended remit will now include having strategic oversight over nurseries and even postgraduate institutes.

“We have established the Higher Education and Human Resources Council to restructure the development of our human resources,” he tweeted.

On the same lines, the UAE has adopted structural changes in the Ministry of Health as His Highness announced the launch of an independent institution to manage government hospitals.

“An independent entity will oversee public hospitals in the UAE: a structural change to the Ministry of Health's portfolio,” he said.

The role of the Ministry of Health will undergo a change to focus on prevention of diseases and the protection of society from the diseases in addition to regulating the health sector, he said.

The Ministry of Health will also be renamed.

His Highness also announced a major change in the role of the Ministry of Labour in terms of workforce management to take the country to a new stage of development and knowledge economy.

“We are also reforming the Ministry of Labour to better manage the UAE workforce in this new era of development,” His Highness tweeted.

The Ministry of Labour will be renamed as the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and the National Development & Employment Authority (Tanmia) will be attached to the new ministry, he announced.

HH further announced that the Development Authority will be integrated into the Ministry of Labour while the Marriage Fund will be integrated into the Ministry of Social Affairs.

“The Marriage Fund will be merged into the Ministry of Social Affairs. Nurseries will fall under the Ministry of Education,” he tweeted.

With the change in the role of the Ministry of Social Affairs to focus on Emirati family and society, its name will be changed to 'Ministry of Community Development'.

“Focusing on Emirati family and society, the Ministry of Social Affairs will become the Ministry for Community Development,” His Highness tweeted.

The government has also effected a structural change in the Ministry of Culture to focus on content and the protection of the Arabic language and the development of knowledge.

HH also announced the transfer of climate change department to the Ministry of Environment and Water, and the renaming of the ministry to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

“Managing climate change makes the Ministry of Environment and Water, into the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment,” he said.

“The goal is to develop programs and legislation, policies and oversight to maintain a clean environment for future Emirati generations,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

The National Council for Tourism & Antiquities will be attached with the Ministry of Economy, with targets set for the sector’s contribution to GDP.

In addition, he said: “The Ministry of Development and International Cooperation will merge with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Moreover, he announced the establishment of a council of scientists to review the UAE’s national policy on science and technology and to nurture a new generation of UAE scientists.

 

“The UAE Council of Scientists will be established as an advisory body, and will include leading researchers and academics,” His Highness said.

“The Council will review national policy for science, technology and innovation to develop a new generation of scientists,” he added.

In addition, Sheikh Mohammed said that “the newly created UAE Youth National Council will include an elite group of young men and women to advise on youth affairs.”

He added: “The Council will be led by a 22-year-old female Minister of State. The energy of youth will fuel our government in future.”

His Highness highlighted the role of the youth in shaping the future of the UAE, and said an agile government was an enabler of that future.

“We want a young and flexible government that would fulfil our youth's aspirations and achieve our people's ambitions,” he tweeted.

“Change creates great opportunities and renews ideas and forces everyone to think in a different way. And we will implement all that is good for our people,” he said.

“Governments must be flexible. We do not need more ministries, but more capable ministers dealing with change,” he said.

“We want a government that thinks not only in terms of provision of services, but also in building the skills of its people and provide an environment conducive for achievement,” he said.

“The government should be far-sighted, be willing to explore the future and be ready to face the future,” he said.

He said that the past decade was for building systems and strategies and tools, and the next decade is starting with confidence for the future, with all its changes, challenges and competitiveness. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Change creates great opportunities and renews ideas and forces everyone to think in a different way. And we will implement all that is good for our people,” he said.