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President okays new cabinet

ABU DHABI — The new UAE Cabinet was announced yesterday. Four new ministries have been carved out and eight new posts have been created.

The new Cabinet, the 7th since the inception of the UAE federation in 1971, now has one more woman minister. Four ministries, of Information and Culture, Agriculture and Fisheries, Communications and Supreme Council and AGCC Affairs, have been scrapped. New ministries will take up some responsibilities of the old ministries.

The Cabinet was approved by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, after it was proposed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the old Cabinet has been bifurcated into two separate ministries: labour and social affairs. While the former is headed by Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi, the latter is headed by the second UAE woman minister to join the Cabinet, Dr Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, who held the post of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs since February 1999. Other new entities include the Ministry of Government Sector Development, the post of the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment and Water, and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

In the new Cabinet, the Auqaf (Islamic endowments) and Islamic Affairs are no longer part of the Ministry of Justice.

Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs: Born in 1957. She holds a BA in English Literature from the UAE University. Before joining the new government, Mariam served in many educationa, academic and soceital fields.

She has acted as Under Secretary of the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry since 1999.

Dr Hanif Hassan, Minister of Education: Dr Hanif holds BA in Islamic studies and MA in Islamic Sharia from UAE University.

He also holds a Ph.D. from Umm Al Qura University in Saudi Arabia.

He is a member and the Director General of Abu Dhabi Educational Council since September 2005.

Before joining the cabinet, he held a number of positions in the educational and academic fields the latest of which was the Vice Chancellor of Zayed University.

Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Minister of Health: Born in 1959. He holds an MA in Management from the United States. Before becoming a minister, he held the position of Director General of Emirates Institute For Banking and Financial Studies.

Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi, Minister of Environment and Water: Born in 1955. Married and has 6 children. He obtained a Bachelor, Master degrees in Political Science and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from California University in the United States.

Al Kindi worked with the Foreign Ministry since 1984.

He acted as the UAE's Permanent Representative at the Security Council from 1986 to 1987, a member of the country's permanent mission to the United Nations from 1986 to 1995. He worked as the Charge D'affaires of UAE Embassy in Jakarta from 1995 to 1997.

Between 1998 and 2006, he has been a member of the Advisory Bureau of the GCC Supreme Council and he has acted as Director the Fujairah Ruler's Office between 1997 and 2006.

Mohammed Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs: Had served in many positions, including the Secretary General of Dubai Executive Council, CEO of Dubai Holding Company, Chairman of Dubai Development and Investment Authority, and Managing Director of Dubai Media Corporation.

He had spearheaded the launch of several of Dubai's strategic initiatives, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Dubai Land, Dubai Medical City, Dubai Press Club, Mohammad bin Rashid bin Maktoum Award for Arab Management, Mohammad Bin Rashid Progarmme for Leadership Development, Government Excellence Programme, Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Summer festival, Dubai Autism Centre, UAE Handicapped Sports Union, Arab Media Forum, and Arab Strategic Forum. Al Gargawi is recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Moroccan Royal Order and US Business Award. Born in 1963, Al Gargawi is married and a father of three.

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for FNC Affairs: A professor of political science in UAE University until 1995, he held membership of Dubai Economic Council, Emirates Media Group Board, and Palestinian Studies Board of Trustees. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge, and Bachelor and Masters degrees from George Washington University.

Mohammed Hussein Al Shaali, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs: Born in 1950, he obtained his Bachelor degree in management and economy from Beirut Arab University before joining the Foreign Ministry, where he served as Director of Arab World Department (1982-1985), ambassador to the UN and non-resident ambassador to Canada (1986-1987) where he also acted as the Country's representative to the Security Council. From 1992 to 1999, he was ambassador to Washington, and was later assigned as UAE Permanent Representative to the UN European Headquarters in Geneva. Al Shaali is married and father of five.

Abdul Rahman Mohammed Nassir Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development: Born in Sharjah in 1967, he graduated from UAE University in 1989 with a degree in accountancy and information systems.

He served as member of Emirates Media Incorporated from 2001 to 2006, member of Board of Trustees of Sultan Al Owais Cultural Foundation since 1992, board member of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 2004, board member of Sharjah Islamic Bank since 1994, Board Chairman of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (2004-2005), and board member of Emirates Real Estate Bank. A father of five, Al Owais is known for his cultural interests, notably Arab calligraphy and modern Arab plastic arts.

Ministers and portfolios

THE full list of ministers is as follows:

Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid/ Prime Minister and Minister of Defence

Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan/ Deputy Prime Minister

Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan/ Deputy Prime Minister

Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum/ Minister of Finance and Industry

Lt-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan/ Minister of Interior

Shaikh Masnour bin Zayed Al Nahyan/ Minister of Presidential Affairs

Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan/ Foreign Minister

Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan/ Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Shaikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan/ Minister of Public Works

Shaikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi/ Minister of Economy

Mohammed bin Nakhira Al Dhaheri/ Minister of Justice

Dr Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash/ Minister of State for Financial and Industrial Affairs

Mohammed bin Dhaen Al Hameli/ Minister of Energy

Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi/ Minister of Labour

Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansour/ Minister of Governmental Sector Development

Mohammed Abdullah Al Gargawi/ Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs

Mohammed Hussein Al Shaali/ Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi/ Minister of Social Affairs

Dr Hanif Hassan Ali/ Minister of Education

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash/ Minister of State for FNC Affairs

Humaid Mohammed Obeid Al Qattami/ Minister of Health

Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi/ Minister of environment and Water

Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais/ Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

HIGHLIGHTS

Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister, retains his Ministry of Defence.

Deputy Prime Minister, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, retains post, but no more holds the Ministry of State for Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research are the other two new ministries, as mentioned above.

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