The UAE's wise leadership is aware of the different challenges facing the country. This, and the fact that the environment is continuously changing due to international and regional developments, led to the decision that it was imperative for the government to create a clear, fact-based framework to organise its efforts to meet specific targets.
Accordingly, the leadership has placed special emphasis on strategic planning across all Federal Government bodies. This will ensure that targets are met by working according to operational plans that manage efforts systematically and according to easily measurable performance indices.
Ministerial independence
In a step to ensure that Federal Government bodies implement their strategic plans and achieve expected performance levels, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced that ministries would be given administrative and financial independence to allow them to fulfil their responsibilities and improve their performance. The decision coincided with the announcement of the Federal Government's strategy in 2007.
This step was taken because of the belief that giving ministries greater jurisdiction and flexibility empowers ministers, prevents too much centralisation of power and reduces the likelihood of overly complicated procedures and restrictions on the work of government bodies. As a result, strategic plans are more likely to be realised and targets met.
Government support
The Ministerial Council for Services counts a number of ministers as members and is chaired by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The council's role is to reduce the Cabinet's burden in relation to administration and organisation in the Federal Government, thereby allowing the Cabinet to focus on strategic matters.
ID cards
The role of the Emirates Identity Authority (EIA) has been enhanced in the past four years. The authority worked to gain approval for Federal Decree No 9 for 2006 on the residential record system and ID cards and to issue the bylaws of Federal Decree No 4 for 2006.
The authority has since implemented the law by recording the personal data of all residents and creating electronic databases in co-ordination with specialised bodies. The vital statistics of residents have been linked to their personal records and the authority is in the process of issuing ID cards.
The EIA is an independent federal body set up by Federal Decree No 2 for 2004, which gave it all necessary jurisdiction to implement the residential record system and issue ID cards.
The authority receives a big budget allocation every year, in recognition of the importance of its projects and the role it performs to the benefit of the government and to Emiratis.
The authority's budget was Dh160 million in 2008 and Dh236 million in 2009.
Activating e-government
The latest survey carried out by the UN's Economic and Social Affairs Department revealed that the UAE now ranks fifth in terms of procedural e-services. The UAE was ranked first among Arab countries and 32nd among the 192 UN member countries in the 2008 e-government readiness index. This achievement was a result of the considerable development of the government's electronic services, especially with regard to reducing the time transactions take.
Developing government cadres
The government sees nationals as playing a vital role in implementing initiatives and achieving targets. Hence, the wise leadership issued directives to develop government cadres to enable them to shoulder their responsibilities. This has been the case especially after the launch of the Federal Government strategy in 2007, which requires a high degree of professionalism as well as strategic, administrative, executive and technical skills in all fields.
Accordingly, the government has gone to great lengths to attract skilled and capable employees. In addition, it aims to develop the abilities of its workers, motivate them, increase satisfaction levels and enhance their performance.
Government growth
Many Federal Government committees and councils were set up in the past four years in keeping with the huge social and economic development of the UAE, and also as a result of the emergence of many social and global issues that did not fall under the jurisdiction of any existing federal bodies and which require the application of specialist skills and focused efforts.
The UAE's increased trade with the world has created the need for more co-ordination and joint action between the Federal Government and local governments at the legislative and executive levels to prevent the limited implementation of policies and unify procedures between the seven emirates.
This will reduce confusion and bolster commerce.
Among the new government bodies are:
- The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking that was set up by Federal Decree No 51 for 2006 on combating human trafficking, which is the first of its kind in the Arab world.
- The law updates legislation and is evidence of the UAE's commitment to this important issue after endorsing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocols.
- The committee studies and updates legislation related to human trafficking to protect the victims of these crimes in line with international requirements.
- The Permanent Committee to Monitor and Follow Up Events Affecting the UAE's Reputation was set up by Cabinet Decision No 308 for 2006. The committee assesses the seriousness of these events and submits studies and reports about the political and social dimensions of such cases, as well as proposals and suggestions.
- The Judicial Coordination Council was set up by Cabinet Decision No 14 for 2007, with the aim of promoting co-ordination, co-operation and the exchange of expertise between federal and local judicial authorities. The decision was put into effect in June 2007 and the council was established under the chairmanship of the minister of justice. It includes members from the Judicial Councils, Courts and Public Prosecution departments in local governments, as well as representatives from the Judicial Training and Studies Institute and local judicial institutes.
- The Insurance Authority was set up by Federal Decree No 6 for 2007 to regulate the insurance sector by framing legislation and policies and defending the rights of insurance document holders without prejudice to the interests of insurance companies.
- The Higher Committee for Consumer Protection was set up by the government following Cabinet Decision No 2 for 2007 on consumer protection. The committee is chaired by the minister of economy.
- The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority was set up set up in 2009 to co-ordinate efforts related to emergencies and crises across the UAE.
Dh236m
The Emirates Identity Authority's budget was increased to this figure in 2009 in recognition of its growing role
Strengthening the public sector
Government expansion
Among the new government bodies formed in the past four years are:
- National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking
- Permanent Committee to Monitor and Follow Up Events Affecting the UAE's Reputation
- Judicial Coordination Council
- Insurance Authority
- Higher Committee for Consumer Protection
- National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority
