2nd
December 1971 was a turning point in
the history of the Emirates. On this
date a declaration was issued renewing
enforcement of the provisional constitution
of the UAE and the United Arab Emirates
was declared a sovereign Federal State
comprising Aim Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah,
Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and later
Ras Al Khaimah. The UAE is governed
by five constitutional and legislative
bodies which include the following:
The
Supreme Council of the Federation,
the President and the. Vice-President,
the Council of Ministers, the Federal
. National Council (FNC) and the Federal
Judiciary.
The
Supreme Council of the Federation
is the highest political authority
in the country. It consists of all
the Rulers of the Emirates comprising
the Federation and represents collective
leadership. The President and the
Vice-President of the State are elected
by the Supreme Council from its members.
The, jurisdiction of the Supreme Council
of the Federation is confined to major
political, legislative and administrative
issues of the state.
The
President appoints the Prime Minister
with the consent of the Supreme Council.
Deputy Premiers and Federal Ministers
are appointed as per decree by the
President upon a recommendation of
the Prime Minister. The Cabinet is
the executive body running domestic
and foreign affairs concerning the
state as per the Federal Constitution,
laws and under the supervision of
the President and the Supreme Council
of the Federation.
The
Federal National Council (FNC) is
set up with 40 members representing
the Emirates forming the Federation.
The FNC is the legislative assembly
(Parliament) which is as4gned the
authority of discussing and approving
all federal draft laws and then referring
them to the Supreme Council for enactment,
The FNC also exercises the power of
raising issues concerning. performance
of the government, discussing matters
of interest to the public and monitoring
the conduct of the federal government.
The
judicial authority is assumed by the
Federal Court which consists of the
Federal High Court, the Appeal Court
and the Federal Courts of First Instance.
As per the constitution, the judicial
authority of each Emirate may handle
the judicial matters not assigned
to the Federal Court. However, it
is possible as per a federal decree
issued upon the request of the respective
Emirate, to transfer whole or part
of the judicial authorities exercised
by the respective Emirate's judiciary
to the Federal Court of First Instance.
On
the Arab and international levels,
the UAE is a member of the Arab Gulf
Co-operation Council (AGCC) which
comprises in addition to the IJAE,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State
of Bahrain, The Sultanate of Oman,
the State of Qatar and the State of
Kuwait. The AGCC was formed in 1981.
The United Arab Emirates is also a
member of the Arab League, the United
Nations and other international organizations
and agencies.
