The late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, followed in the footsteps of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, since he assumed the flag on November 4, 2004, so that the UAE would start from the stage of establishment to the stage of empowerment, from By creating the conditions for preparing a more participating and contributing citizen in public life, activating the role of the Federal National Council and enabling it to be a supportive, guiding and supportive authority for the executive authority, and a council that is more capable, effective and attached to the issues of the nation and the concerns of citizens.
During the past 18 years, the UAE has occupied the leading positions in the competitiveness indicators, which are the standard measure of the progress of nations.
The political empowerment program of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, may God have mercy on him, included activating the role of the Federal National Council by electing half of its members through electoral bodies formed in each emirate, and appointing the other half.
The step began in 2006. This was followed by constitutional amendment No. (1) of 2009 with the aim of activating the role of the Council by increasing the term of its membership from two to four years, and increasing the duration of its convening sessions to at least seven months, in addition to granting it greater independence in drawing up its internal regulations. , so that it became approved by the President of the State after the approval of the Federal Supreme Council.
On this basis, the internal regulations of the Council were issued pursuant to Federal Decree No. (1) of 2016.
The Council was granted the authority to discuss agreements and treaties referred to it by a decision of the Head of State before ratifying them.
The second step came in 2019, when the decision of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, to represent women equally with men in the Federal National Council constituted a turning point in the process of supporting Emirati women.
The decision also made the parliamentary experience of the UAE a model to be followed in modern parliamentary experiences around the world, especially with regard to the process of women’s political empowerment.
During the reign of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, parliamentary work witnessed a quantum leap in terms of performance and influence at the legislative and oversight levels, during which the Federal National Council moved to the stage of full empowerment, to become a fundamental pillar in decision-making and an active partner in shaping the future of the UAE.
The first legislative chapter, after the introduction of the system of electing half the number of seats in the National Council, witnessed the victory of the first Emirati woman to become a member of the Council through election, and eight female members were appointed by the rulers of the Emirates. Thus, in 2006, women occupied nine seats in the Council, or 22.5%, which is one of the highest percentages in the world.
The Council elections in 2011 represented the second experience, and one of the important stages in the political empowerment program in the United Arab Emirates, in which a large increase took place in the number of citizens participating in choosing their representatives in the Council.
-Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi was elected to chair the Federal National Council for the 16th legislative term in the UAE, in a precedent that is the first of its kind in the region, to be the first woman to head a national council in an Arab country, following a vote by the members of the Federal Council.
-From the words of Khalifa bin Zayed:
“We will do everything that God can do to achieve the aspirations and aspirations of the citizens, and we call on everyone to work for the elevation of the nation.”
“Union is loyalty, belonging, responsibility, national identity, giving, giving, and the reality of my life.”
“The qualitative leap achieved by the UAE in the field of technology was not the result of emergency or exceptional circumstances, but rather the culmination of strenuous efforts and the fruit of the integrated development strategy.”
“We bear in mind the efforts aimed at expanding our green agricultural area by reclaiming large areas of land and procuring the necessary water resources, with the aim of achieving food security for our people in the near and long future together.”
“Modern sciences and extensive knowledge must be acquired with a high spirit and sincere desire in all fields of work, so that the UAE can achieve a broad civilizational shift during the third millennium.”
“The educational process, insofar as it has achieved various levels of scientific qualification, we see it today in a continuous and escalating challenge that requires diligent work in developing curricula and developing plans aimed at achieving the required level in keeping pace with the acceleration of technical development and absorbing the latest developments in modern technology.”
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