- The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA) has organised the annual meeting for coordinators at Ministries and Federal Government entities at the St. Regis Hotel Abu Dhabi , in an effort to enhance Government-Council relations.

The annual meeting offers a platform to explore propositions, discuss the best approach to boost coordination between the UAE Government and the Federal National Council (FNC), and establish more direct and efficient communication channels between the legislative and executive branches of the Government. The gathering also clarified the procedures in place to deal with FNC-related issues and the role of coordinators at Federal Government entities.

The meeting was attended by His Excellency Tariq Hilal Lootah, Undersecretary of the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs; and FNC Secretary-General H.E. Ahmed Shabib Al Dhaheri; along with 35 communication coordinators from Ministries and Federal Government entities.

Delivering the opening speech, H.E. Lootah lauded the coordinators for their efforts to upgrade Government-FNC coordination, which led to an increase in the topics of discussion, draft laws, and queries addressed at the Council during its most recent legislative session.

“In our efforts to promote political participation in the community, the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs is pleased to be launching a new initiative to raise political awareness among Federal Government employees through a series of lectures to introduce them to the UAE’s parliamentary life,” H.E. added.

“This commitment to raising political awareness is key for implementing the Political Empowerment Programme launched by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and realising the vision of our wise leadership for an effective Council that addresses people’s issues and embodies the concept of ‘Shura’,” H.E. Lootah explained.

“The meeting underlines our dedication to strengthening cooperation with all Government entities to develop an innovative and effective communication system that keeps up with current and future advancements,” H.E. noted. “It supports our quest for an exemplary parliamentary model that adheres to Emirati values and traditions, all the while driving sustainable development. This, in turn, goes to achieve our leadership’s and people’s ambition for the UAE to be among the best countries in the world by 2021, and the best by 2071.”

For his part, H.E. Ahmed Shabib Al Dhaheri introduced attendees to the FNC’s method for tackling its topics of discussion, outlining the best approach for Government representatives to adopt when attending Council sessions in order to ensure seamless coordination between the branches of Government. The meeting then moved on to an interactive session exploring prospective approaches to coordinate between the Government and the Council.

Meanwhile, the MFNCA’s Department of Electoral Affairs and Political Development highlighted its role in promoting political participation with innovative initiatives, which include ensuring employees from Ministries and Federal Government entities attend FNC sessions.

The meeting is one of the annual initiatives organised by the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs to achieve its strategic objectives, which complements the series of programmes and initiatives administered by the Ministry to enhance coordination between the UAE Government and the Federal National Council.