First UAE Cabinet meeting of 2022 focuses on economy and workers' rights

Also covered were regulations on smart schools, sports and agreements about taxation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chairs the first meeting of 2022 of the Council of Ministers. All photos: Dubai Media Office

The meeting took place at the UAE pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

Sheikh Mohammed said regulations guaranteeing rights for workers were approved by the Cabinet.

Also agreed to during the meeting was a new committee for smart learning in schools.

Agreements on new tax regulations were made.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, chaired the first Cabinet meeting of the year on Friday at Expo 2020's UAE pavilion.

Sharing images of the meeting online, Sheikh Mohammed said regulations guaranteeing rights for workers were approved by the Cabinet as well as the flexibility to use other kinds of working models.

"Today, we approved the executive regulations for labour relations in the country to guarantee rights, improve competence and regulate new types of work such as freelance, flexible, temporary work, golden residency holders, etc. We have 12 types of work permits in our new laws. Our goal is to establish the best, most flexible and diversified business environment," he said.

The Council of Ministers' first decision of the meeting was to give ministries greater power to put plans in place themselves, without lengthy approval processes.

"Today, I chaired the first Cabinet's meeting in the new year and in the new fiftieth. It is a good and blessed start on a blessed Friday, God willing. Our first decision was to start implementing our plan to change the methodology of the federal government’s work, [to have] more transformational and faster projects and to fully focus on creating the most active and better economy in the world.

"The beginning of the new government change will be by announcing soon changes that include granting ministries greater powers to approve their plans, more financial flexibility, shorter strategic cycles, and national priorities based on the fifty principles adopted by the President of the State, may God protect him, for the next fifty years," wrote Sheikh Mohammed in a post online.

Also covered during the meeting were a new committee for smart learning in schools, agreements about taxation and leaders joining together with the UN to tackle climate change.

"Today, we adopted a rapid digital purchases policy for the government, a new committee for smart learning in our schools, 13 agreements to encourage investment and avoid double taxation, and the state's joining of leaders for nature within the United Nations climate change conventions. Our start is promising and our launch in 2022 will be great, God willing."

Rules around new sports laws were also updated to improve how the UAE is represented on the international stage.

"We approved today in the Cabinet's meeting the issuance of a new law for sports in the country which comprehensively regulates the sports activity, including sports councils, federations, Olympic committees, and others.

"The law works on laying new foundations to raise the efficiency of the country's external sports representation in international sports forums," Sheikh Mohammed said.

Also approved during the meeting were new regulations such as patent registration for inventors and preserving the right to research microorganisms.

"In today’s Friday session, we approved new regulations and systems for preserving industrial property and inventions related to the defence industries, and mechanisms for accelerating patent registration and preserving the rights to research micro-organisms and others," Sheikh Mohammed said. "The diversification of our economy requires the diversity and breadth of our legislation, and we are legislatively ready for a different future economic stage."