Abu Dhabi, April 27, 2020 – The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA) has formed a ‘Youth Council’ in coordination with the Federal Youth Authority to empower youth and enable them to play their part in serving their country, in line with the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership.

The MFNCA’s Young Employees Council will work to provide the right environment to promote creativity among young people, all the while developing initiatives and projects revolving around the issues that matter the most to young people in the Ministry, most notably, the effort to promote a culture of political participation among young citizens.

MFNCA Undersecretary His Excellency Tariq Hilal Lootah said: “Young people are the true wealth of the UAE. They are the foundation on which we can build our plans for the advancement of our society. Their energy and talent are an asset for the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs, who is constantly working to raise awareness among this segment to enhance their role in serving the country.”

“The newly launched council seeks to engage the youth in the decision-making process in the Ministry, allowing them to play a significant role in its development and in achieving its strategic objectives,” H.E. added, calling on the council’s members to use their talents to come up with practices that enhance operations and ensure performance excellence. “The council is a milestone in our effort to establish direct contact with the youth, listen to their opinions, and develop their talents.”

For his part, H.E. Saeed Al Nazari, Director General of Federal Youth Authority, asserted that supporting and empowering the youth are a priority in the UAE, and with that in mind, the Authority worked closely with the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs to form a youth council at the Ministry, to kickstart efforts to educate and train young people, engage them in the parliamentary process, and tap into their energy and innovation to ensure the UAE’s leadership across all vital sectors.

“We will work to enrich members’ experience in the council, and to put our expertise, policies, strategies, and initiatives at their disposal so that they can assume their role in the UAE’s development, make their voices heard, and contribute to the country and its future,” H.E. Al Nazari added.

The Council brings together young employees from the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs, namely, Ahmed Al Sharifi, Ibrahim Al Abdouli, Ahmed Al Dalai, Iman Al Abdouli, Khulood Al Hammoudi, Mona Al Ra’isi, Aliaa Al Ali, Salama Al Amiri, and Aisha Al Abqash.

A vote is set to be held during the first meeting of the council to choose the Speaker and Deputy Speaker by a majority of the members. The council will set its standard procedures in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in the UAE. The council membership term will be one year, starting from the date decision to form the council is issued. Members whose term has expired may be re-elected.

Council’s Responsibilities

The council’s mandate will include various responsibilities, such as providing a unified and sustainable platform for young people to engage with decision makers in the Ministry; implementing the initiatives entrusted to it by the MFNCA; coordinating with federal entities, the private sector, and any department wishing to launch a youth-related initiative; overseeing youth events and initiatives; coordinating with internal stakeholders (i.e. MFNCA employees) and external ones (the Ministry’s customers and young people in general); and raising awareness about the Ministry, its mandate, objectives, and youth-related initiatives.

The council is also tasked with keeping count of all statistics, training opportunities, scholarships, and data about the youth, as well as making sure they are represented in all surveys and studies conducted by the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs. Furthermore, it is in charge of submitting reports and performance indexes to H.E. the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs – or any authorised official – regarding events and initiatives, in addition to participating in setting the national youth agenda, and proposing the necessary budget to implement the council’s objectives.