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Seven new faces as cabinet reshuffled

Seven new faces joined the UAE cabinet, two among them women, and three of the ministers had their portfolios changed in yesterday’s reshuffle largely seen as part the government’s bid to further enhance efficiency and transparency.

As he endorsed the new cabinet, Shaikh Khalifa expressed his well-wishes for the success of the new cabinet members.

He also extended his thanks to the outgoing members for their contribution during their tenure in office.

In the reshuffle, a new portfolio for Foreign Trade has been created.

Industrial Affairs at the former Ministry of Finance and Industry has been shifted to the Ministry of Economy.

The new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs will retain his portfolio as the Minister of State for Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs.

The reshuffle has increased the number of women to four from two in the previous cabinet. Three ministers of state have been appointed. The new ministers include: Minister of Justice Dr Hadef bin Juaan Al Dhaheri; Minister of Environment and Water Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad; Minister of Labour Saqr Ghobash Saeed Ghobash; Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Humaid Al Tayer; Minister of State Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi; Minister of State Dr Khalifa Bakheet Al Falasi; and Minister of State Reem Ibrahim Al Hashimi.

Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi has been promoted from state minister for cabinet affairs to Minister of Cabinet Affairs.

The ministers who had their portfolios changed include: Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi (Minister of Foreign Trade); Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri (Minister of Economy); and Dr Mohammed Anwar Gargash (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs).

Focus on efficiency: Mohammed

ABU DHABI — His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said yesterday the overall objective of the cabinet reshuffle was enhancing government’s efficiency, transparency and teamwork.

“We want a modern and effective cabinet with a greater consistency and abilities to improve functioning of the government as a whole and to accelerate development processes,” Shaikh Mohammed said.

Sheikh Mohammed thanked the outgoing cabinet members for their sincere efforts to serve their country. He said that the country’s leadership was keen to infuse new blood into the cabinet and that the selection of new ministers was based on their merits and accomplishments.

Shaikh Mohammed noted that the changes were dictated by the new government strategy which called for streamlining corporate governance framework to enable the government to accelerate development and to achieve the vision of the country’s leadership for a pioneering government in the region.

“The new cabinet formation took into consideration re-distribution of roles and restructuring of the government in line with the international best practices and in accordance with strategic requirements,” Shaikh Mohammed said.

“The nation’s prosperity,” he said, “would not be possible without progress of the citizens. The (well being of) UAE citizens has always been the main goal of the federal government’s strategic plan and the cabinet is shouldering the responsibility of implementing such a plan.” Shaikh Mohammed stressed that preparation of the federal strategy was a means, not an end and that the strategy s ultimate goal was to benefit citizens.

“This requires timely implementation of the strategic plan, as well as compliance with the master plan timeline,’ he added. — Wam

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