The UAE government has high hopes for the Federal National Council. Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, the minister for FNC affairs, has stated that the deliberative body will help “enhance political participation” of Emiratis.
The FNC plays a unique role in the UAE government. While all of the government’s decisions involve careful discussion, the settings tend to be more private — in executive council meetings or the majlis of the leaders. With the FNC, the 40 members of the council deliberate publicly about important issues, including proposed or revised legislation.
The FNC, therefore, serves in two important roles. First, the body brings private discussions into the public sphere. Public discussions produce many benefits including a heightened understanding of opposing positions, increased efficiency spurred by transparency and the potential to create a consensus regarding a concern of shared importance.
The second role is perhaps more important for the UAE. The FNC also serves a model for Emiratis, many of whom have little experience with the notion of public discussions and debate.
For this reason, raising awareness of the FNC among UAE nationals is quite important. Unfortunately, at a recent forum held at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi many Emirati panelists pointed out that the FNC suffers from a general lack of awareness. I can also report that many of my students are unfamiliar with the body or its purpose. The low turnout in the September elections also point to a general lack of enthusiasm for the deliberative body.
I recently attended a session of the FNC in Abu Dhabi and came away impressed with the proceedings. Luckily, one of my students from Zayed University attended as well and helped translate the session.
Budgets concerns
The proceeding opened with Dr Abdul Rahim Al Shaheen, a member from Ras Al Khaimah, asking Dr Gargash about why the government didn’t present the FNC with a budget prior to passage. Dr Gargash responded that the government was worried about delaying the process.
The exchange allowed for a public airing of an issue that had troubled some observers, creating accountability and transparency for a concern that would have otherwise gone unmentioned.
Following that opening exchange, the FNC got down to business.
They debated many facets of a proposed law about codifying the government’s response to orphaned children. The members would raise their hands if they wanted to speak and the FNC speaker would call on them. Although some of the discussions took quite a while, the proceeding allowed each member to fully air their opinions about the proposed law. This process provides an important check on government ministries — hearing the reflections of “everyday Emiratis” on their work can provide previously overlooked insights.
The technology in the FNC assembly hall is impressive. The building is set up with television cameras and microphones so that the proceedings can be easily seen and heard. Unseen television producers carefully cover the proceedings so that each speaker is seen on a giant screen behind the FNC speaker.
The closed-circuit television production is also beamed throughout the building. Members of the news media can choose to watch the session via a television in a room set aside for journalists.
Since the FNC is already producing a live television show for in-house consumption, a live broadcast via satellite, cable television, and the internet would be incredibly easy to set up. A technician need only provide a simple uplink of the already produced stream to send it out to other outlets.
By broadcasting FNC hearings, more Emiratis would surely be aware of the FNC. Allowing more locals to see their countrymen engage in public discussion would have far-reaching benefits.
By doing so, the UAE would join nations such as Japan, India, South Korea, the US, and the UK that also broadcast their deliberative government proceedings.
No one claims that these broadcasts receive high ratings. Few have the time or inclination to sit and watch nine hours of debate. However, broadcasting them would give Emiratis the opportunity to tune it if they chose to.
Also, anyone flipping channels on television would occasionally see a session in progress. Even if glimpsed for only a few seconds, Emirati children will grow up knowing that public discussion of important issues is a part of their culture.
Live broadcasts would also allow voters in each of the Emirates to get a first-hand look at how their representatives are performing. They may decide to vote for someone else in the next election, if their members seem unprepared or uninterested in the council’s business.
Occasionally, the FNC may take up an issue deemed important enough for a mass audience to tune in. In those cases, the public will know where to watch to listen to the debate live.
Broadcasting the FNC sessions would do wonders for the awareness of the FNC among the local population.
The result would certainly help achieve the government’s goal of enhanced political participation. The broadcasts may also encourage the FNC members to raise their level of participation as well.
Dr Matt J. Duffy is a professor of communication at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.
