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.