Khalifa created the conditions for the preparation of citizens more involved in public life

Union.. From "establishment" to "empowerment"

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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 received the flag on the fourth of November 2004, to start the UAE from the stage of establishment to the stage of empowerment, by creating conditions to prepare a citizen more involved and contributing to public life, and activating the role of the Federal National Council and empowering it to be a supporting, guiding and supportive authority for the executive authority, and a more capable, effective and attached council to the issues of the country. and the concerns of citizens.

And in 18 years... The UAE has taken the lead in competitiveness indicators, which are the benchmark for the progress of nations.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed's political empowerment program 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 move began in 2006. This was followed by the Constitutional Amendment No. (1) of 2009 with the aim of activating the role of the Council by increasing its term of membership from two to four years, and increasing the duration of its sessions to at least seven months, in addition to granting it greater independence in setting its internal regulations, so that they are 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 given the authority to discuss conventions and treaties referred to it by decision of the Head of State prior to ratification.

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 marked a turning point in the march of supporting Emirati women.

The decision also made the UAE's parliamentary experience a model to be followed in modern parliamentary experiences around the world, especially with regard to the process of women's political empowerment.

Parliamentary work during the reign of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, witnessed a qualitative leap in the level 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 key pillar in decision-making and an active partner in shaping the future of the UAE.

The first legislative term, after the introduction of a system of electing half the seats of the National Assembly, saw the first Emirati woman win the membership of the Council through election, and eight members were appointed by the rulers of the Emirates. Thus, in 2006, women held nine seats on the Council, or 22.5%, one of the highest percentages in the world.

The 2011 Council elections represented the second experiment and one of the important stages in the political empowerment program in the United Arab Emirates, in which the segment of citizens participating in the selection of their representatives in the Council was significantly increased.

Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi was elected to the presidency of the Federal National Council for the 16th legislative term in the UAE, in a first of its kind in the region, to be the first woman to preside over a national council in an Arab country, following a vote held by members of the Federal Council.

From the words of Khalifa bin Zayed:

"We will work with everything God can to achieve the aspirations and aspirations of citizens, and we call on everyone to work on the elevation of the homeland."

"Union is loyalty, belonging, responsibility, national identity, giving and giving and the reality of my life is lived."

"The qualitative leap achieved by the United Arab Emirates 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 are mindful of efforts to expand 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 both the near and distant future."

"Modern sciences and extensive knowledge must be equipped with a high spirit and a sincere desire for all fields of work so that the UAE can achieve a broad civilizational leap during the third millennium."

"The educational process, as much as it has achieved the 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 developments of modern technology."

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