president
GOVERNMENT G O V E R N M E N T The United Arab Emir<strong>at</strong>es, a feder<strong>at</strong>ion of seven emir<strong>at</strong>es, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ra's al-Khaimah and Fujairah, was formally established on 2 December 1971. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected as President of the <strong>UAE</strong> on 3 November 2004, following the de<strong>at</strong>h of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who held the post from the found<strong>at</strong>ion of the st<strong>at</strong>e on 2 December 1971 until his de<strong>at</strong>h on 2 November 2004. The <strong>UAE</strong>’s constitutionally based federal system of government includes the following institutions: the Supreme Council, the Council of Ministers, the Federal N<strong>at</strong>ional Council and the federal judiciary. The Supreme Council, the top policy-making body in the st<strong>at</strong>e, is made up of the rulers of each emir<strong>at</strong>e. The Supreme Council reaffirms the existing President or elects a new one <strong>at</strong> fiveyearly intervals. The term of elected office for the Vice President is also five years, and the post is currently held by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was elected following the de<strong>at</strong>h of his brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in early 2006. The Council of Ministers or Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, is the executive authority for the feder<strong>at</strong>ion. The Federal N<strong>at</strong>ional Council, comprising members from each of the emir<strong>at</strong>es, half of whom are indirectly elected, has both a legisl<strong>at</strong>ive and supervisory role, and is a member of the Intern<strong>at</strong>ional Parliamentary Union, as well as the Arab Parliamentary Union. Finally, the federal judiciary, whose independence is guaranteed by the Constitution, includes the Supreme Court and the Courts of First Instance. Each of the seven emir<strong>at</strong>es has its own local government, the complexity of which differs according to the size and popul<strong>at</strong>ion of individual emir<strong>at</strong>es. Each follows a general p<strong>at</strong>tern of municipalities and departments.The rel<strong>at</strong>ionship between the federal and local governments is laid down in the Constitution, which allows for a degree of flexibility in the distribution of authority.This rel<strong>at</strong>ionship is evolving over time, dict<strong>at</strong>ed by administr<strong>at</strong>ive requirements. However, traditional government still plays an important role in the <strong>UAE</strong>, with the institution of the majlis (pl. majalis) maintaining a useful function in ensuring th<strong>at</strong> the people have free access to their rulers and local walis or 'amirs, generally a senior tribal figure, continuing to be important in rural areas. UA E AT A G L A N C E 2 0 0 8 25