His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired a meeting of the Cabinet at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Also present was Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of the Emirates Council for Competition to be headed by Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi. Members of the council will be the ministers of economy, foreign trade, education, labour, health and foreign affairs. They will be joined by a representative from the executive departments from each of the seven emirates, in addition to the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai chairmen of commerce and trade.
The council will be tasked with developing competitive strategies, policies and initiatives for the UAE, and will publish periodic reports evaluating the state of competitiveness of the country. Furthermore, the council will promote dialogue and co-operation between the public and private sectors and oversee progress in competitiveness, while boosting collaboration between the Federal Government departments and their local counterparts.
The council aims to place UAE nationals at the centre of the country's development process by attracting professionals who are capable of advancing innovation and development.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a committee to oversee the import and export of commodities, to be headed by the Foreign Ministry, with representatives from the Interior Ministry, the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Economy and the Federal Customs Authority. While working with the relevant authorities on the implementation of import and export practices, it will follow up suggestions from concerned authorities to regulate certain commodities, in addition to providing advice on the imposition of import and export duties.
The Cabinet approved a decision to add the existing supplementary allowance, equal to 70 per cent of salary, to the basic salaries of UAE national employees working for the Federal Government. The Cabinet specified the allowance amount as equal to 70 per cent of the current starting salary for each grade, and ratified a minimum pension payment of Dh6,000 per month.
The decision applies to all serving employees and to those who have retired since January 1, 2008, and reflects the great attention given by Sheikh Mohammed and the government to ensuring a stable work environment for all national staff working for the Federal Government.
The Cabinet sanctioned the opening of embassies in the Republic of Ireland, Mexico, Ethiopia, Portugal, Azerbaijan and Montenegro, as well as the establishment of a UAE consulate in Los Angeles, United States.
The Cabinet also approved a federal law to protect new crop varieties and discussed other Federal Government issues and took appropriate decisions.