Abu Dhabi: The major government overhaul announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the sidelines of the World Government Summit on Monday, puts people’s well-being at the centre of UAE’s sustainable development, senior officials said yesterday.
“The visionary government shake-up has all the potential to catapult the nation into the future that everybody in the UAE has been yearning for — the world’s No 1 in all areas,” Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, told Gulf News on Tuesday.
Shaikh Nahyan added the sweeping changes are premised on achieving happiness for citizens and residents alike as they leave no one behind in development.
In a major overhaul of the UAE’s federal government structure on Monday, several ministries were restructured and new ministerial positions created to improve efficiency and effective delivery of services.
The new government will have fewer ministries but more ministers handling national, strategic and dynamic portfolios.
“In the new structure of the federal government, we will have a roadmap for outsourcing most of the government services to the private sector,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved the largest structural changes in the federal government, he added.
The ministries restructured or merged include the ministries of education, higher education, health, labour, social affairs, environment and water, culture, foreign affairs and cabinet affairs.
“Having people at the centre of the new changes builds on the human development approach adopted by the UAE, setting up a global government that aims at achieving overall wellbeing for its people,” Shaikh Nahyan said.
The changes, Shaikh Nahyan said, lift the bar of development goals higher, making the UAE a role model for all countries.
Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said on his Twitter account that Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid proves every day he is so great an inspiring leader who knows no fear when it comes to experimenting with strategies. “Shaikh Mohammad has visionary thought, unique out-of-the-box thinking and novel ideas. The government shake-up is just an example,” Dr Gargash said.
The Ministry of Cabinet Affairs has been tasked with devising future strategies and will become the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.
A new post of Minister of State for Happiness has been created to channel policies and plans to create a happier society.
A Council of Youth will be established and chaired by a woman Minister of State for Youth whose age is no more than 22 years. The council will have an elite group of young men and women who will serve as advisers to the government.
Mariam Mohammad Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, said the new changes testify to the UAE leaders’ keen interest in thoroughly studied changes that aim at transforming the UAE into an advanced, knowledge-based country with a unique print on the global stage.
Broad changes
The broad changes, Al Roumi said, cover community development, education, health, labour and social welfare and puts people at the centre of the country’s development.
“No doubt these changes will achieve remarkable improvement in achieving overall well-being, based on happier, healthier and more fulfilling people,” Al Roumi said.
Abdullah Bel Haif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Public Works, said Shaikh Mohammad’s visionary changes establish the UAE as a country focused on action -- not reaction.
With more than 200 nationalities successfully co-existing in the country, a new people-centred government with happiness and tolerance portfolios makes the UAE a role model of inter-religious harmony which other countries may follow for their own benefit, according to senior officials.
Dr Hamdan Al Mazroui, Adviser at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, said the UAE always looks forward to achieving happiness to citizens and residents alike.
“The UAE and its leaders strive to establish a successful role model of peace and harmony. The vision was translated into creating a people-centred government with unique portfolios of happiness and tolerance,” Al Mazroui told Gulf News.
A ministerial portfolio named The Minister of State for Tolerance was created to establish tolerance as a fundamental value of UAE society.
In another significant announcement, a new post of Minister of State for Happiness will channel policies and plans to achieve a happier society.
“We introduced the post of Minister of State for Happiness whose mission is to channel policies and plans to achieve a happier society,” said Shaikh Mohammad as he announced a major shake-up of the Cabinet on Monday.
Al Mazroui said these ministries put people’s well-being at the centre of UAE’s development plans, irrespective of gender, religion, nationality or race.
Dr Abdul Latif Al Shamsi, Vice-Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, said the radical changes in the federal government, especially in the education sector, will grant independence to educational institutions to launch more viable programmes.
“The changes contribute to promoting autonomy of schools and universities and improving accountability,” Al Shamsi added.
An independent entity will be created to manage public schools that will be run by a dedicated board. “Public schools will enjoy a great level of power and independence,” Shaikh Mohammad tweeted.
The new entity will be tasked with achieving national educational goals. “We have extended the mandate of the Ministry of Education to supervise all levels from nurseries to higher education,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
Shaikh Mohammad also announced the establishment of a Higher Council of Education and Human Resources to lead comprehensive change for the future.
He called for a government that does not think of providing services only, but of building the skills of its citizens and providing an environment that encourages achievements.
Shaikh Mohammad highlighted that today we are at the beginning of a new era whose main themes are development of knowledge, supporting science and research and the use of exceptional young talent.
“We want a government that places man, family, education, knowledge and ambitions as the core of its agenda, a government that ensures fundamental rights of realising one’s aspirations.
“We want a government whose main goal is building a utopian society, a tolerant environment, cohesive families, educated generations, and equal economic opportunities for all,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
