The final list of elected Federal National Council members was revealed on Sunday.
The 20 Emirati members were the same as those included on the preliminary list announced after voting closed on October 5.
Unsuccessful candidates could appeal the results within 48 hours of the initial announcement – and six submissions were made.
On Sunday, the National Election Committee met in Abu Dhabi to review the appeals but ruled them invalid due to “lack of strong evidence”.
The final elected list includes 13 men and 7 women. The woman with the highest number of votes (955) was Sabreen Al Yamahi, 41, from Fujairah.
She attributed her victory to family and friends who helped put her electoral programme together.
“I had a legal committee, campaigning committee and public relations,” said the family counsellor for Fujairah courts.
“It was collective team work and they all volunteered their time to help. I did not hire a company for that.”
Ms Al Yamahi spent around Dh40,000 on street advertising, social media campaigns and hosting lectures with potential voters. Candidates were allowed to spend up to Dh2 million on advertising.
“I ran based on a request from the people who knew me from my social and volunteer work but I still needed to campaign to reach everybody across the emirate," she said.
“I expected to win the minute I ran.”
Ms Al Yamahi said that, in the council, she planned to call for greater benefits for retired Emiratis and more support for women to encourage them to work.
Athra Bin Rakkad, 38, secured one of two seats for Umm Al Quwain after earning 270 votes.
“I received a lot of support from the family so I expected to win to be honest,” said Ms Bin Rakkad, who is head of Veterinary department at Ajman Municipality.
She said she planned to recommend a stronger push towards the use of clean energy and awareness for public health issues.
“Umm Al Quwain had the highest numbers of voters so awareness has increased and many of those running are youths so there was a lot of support from this segment of society.”
Twenty members remain to be appointed by the ruler of each emirate. The final council will have equal male and female members, following an order from President Sheikh Khalifa to ensure gender parity.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
