Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1284
2003-03-17 13:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:52:02 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 17, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1284 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ELAB, PREL, ECON, EAID, KPAL, KDEM Captions: None Subject: UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE BOARD; IS THE FNC NEXT? Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01284 SIPDIS Laser1: INFO: FCS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: DCM POL P/M AMB DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM: RALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON: CCRUMPLER CLEARED: ECON: TWILLIAMS POL: SWILLIAMS VZCZCADI204 RR RUEHC RUEHEE RUEHDI DE RUEHAD #1284 0761303 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 171303Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8898 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHDI/AMCONSUL DUBAI 2885
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001284
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FSI FOR OLIVER JOHN
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL ECON EAID KPAL KWMN KDEM TC
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE BOARD; IS THE FNC NEXT?
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001284
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FSI FOR OLIVER JOHN
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL ECON EAID KPAL KWMN KDEM TC
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE BOARD; IS THE FNC NEXT?
1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: IN WHAT COULD BE A FIRST STEP
TO WOMEN IN THE UAE'S PARLIAMENTARY FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL
(FNC),THE ABU DHABI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE HAVE PROPOSED
ELECTING BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL-
LEVEL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UAE
FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SAEED SAIF BIN JABR AL-
SUWEIDI ON MARCH 10 PUBLICLY CALLED FOR THE ELECTION OF TWO
BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF EACH EMIRATE'S CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE, AND A WOMAN FROM EACH EMIRATE TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD OF THE FEDERAL CHAMBER. THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
HERE, WHILE QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL IN NATURE, NEVERTHELESS ARE
POWERFUL ORGANIZATIONS OF INFLUENTIAL BUSINESSPEOPLE, AND
ARE AMONG THE FEW EXAMPLES OF MEANINGFUL POLITICAL
PARTICIPATION IN THE UAE. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS EFFORT
TO PROMOTE BUSINESSWOMEN INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE
CHAMBERS IS A PRELUDE TO ANOTHER PUSH FOR FEMALE
REPRESENTATION IN THE HERETOFORE ALL-MALE FNC. END SUMMARY
AND COMMENT.
2. (U) THE BOARD OF THE FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF FEMALE REPRESENTATIVES AT ITS NEXT
MEETING IN APRIL. IF THE BOARD MEMBERS ACCEPT AL-SUWEIDI'S
PROPOSAL, BUSINESSWOMEN COULD ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES
IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF
BUSINESSWOMEN WITHIN EACH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WOULD ELECT
THE WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES FOR BOTH THE EMIRATE-LEVEL, AND
FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBER BOARDS.
3. (U) UAE FIRST LADY SHAYKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK,
PRINCIPAL WIFE OF PRESIDENT ZAYID AND VOCAL WOMEN'S RIGHTS
ADVOCATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS STILL DEEPLY CONSERVATIVE
SOCIETY, REPORTEDLY PROPOSED THE IDEA TO ALLOCATE SEATS FOR
BUSINESSWOMEN AT THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBERS.
SHAYKHA FATIMA IS ALSO THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE
BUSINESSWOMEN'S COMMITTEE IN ABU DHABI. SHE RECENTLY
SPONSORED THE CREATION OF "KNOWLEDGE GARDEN," A FUND
ESTABLISHED IN ABU DHABI TO HELP BUSINESSWOMEN ACQUIRE
INFORMATION ON EDUCATION/TRAINING AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITIES.
4. (SBU) FOLLOWING A SIMILAR TRIP TO FRANCE LAST YEAR, THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BUSINESSWOMEN'S COUNCIL OF ABU
DHABI CURRENTLY IS VISITING SWITZERLAND TO MEET SWISS
BUSINESSWOMEN AND TOUR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THERE. THE
ABU DHABI BUSINESSWOMEN WILL HOST THE FIRST ARAB
BUSINESSWOMEN'S FORUM IN APRIL, UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ARE EXPECTED TO INVITE A NUMBER OF
TOP U.S. WOMEN EXECUTIVES TO ATTEND.
WAHBA
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FSI FOR OLIVER JOHN
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL ECON EAID KPAL KWMN KDEM TC
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE BOARD; IS THE FNC NEXT?
1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: IN WHAT COULD BE A FIRST STEP
TO WOMEN IN THE UAE'S PARLIAMENTARY FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL
(FNC),THE ABU DHABI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE HAVE PROPOSED
ELECTING BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL-
LEVEL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UAE
FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SAEED SAIF BIN JABR AL-
SUWEIDI ON MARCH 10 PUBLICLY CALLED FOR THE ELECTION OF TWO
BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF EACH EMIRATE'S CHAMBERS OF
COMMERCE, AND A WOMAN FROM EACH EMIRATE TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD OF THE FEDERAL CHAMBER. THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
HERE, WHILE QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL IN NATURE, NEVERTHELESS ARE
POWERFUL ORGANIZATIONS OF INFLUENTIAL BUSINESSPEOPLE, AND
ARE AMONG THE FEW EXAMPLES OF MEANINGFUL POLITICAL
PARTICIPATION IN THE UAE. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS EFFORT
TO PROMOTE BUSINESSWOMEN INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE
CHAMBERS IS A PRELUDE TO ANOTHER PUSH FOR FEMALE
REPRESENTATION IN THE HERETOFORE ALL-MALE FNC. END SUMMARY
AND COMMENT.
2. (U) THE BOARD OF THE FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF FEMALE REPRESENTATIVES AT ITS NEXT
MEETING IN APRIL. IF THE BOARD MEMBERS ACCEPT AL-SUWEIDI'S
PROPOSAL, BUSINESSWOMEN COULD ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES
IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF
BUSINESSWOMEN WITHIN EACH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WOULD ELECT
THE WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES FOR BOTH THE EMIRATE-LEVEL, AND
FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBER BOARDS.
3. (U) UAE FIRST LADY SHAYKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK,
PRINCIPAL WIFE OF PRESIDENT ZAYID AND VOCAL WOMEN'S RIGHTS
ADVOCATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS STILL DEEPLY CONSERVATIVE
SOCIETY, REPORTEDLY PROPOSED THE IDEA TO ALLOCATE SEATS FOR
BUSINESSWOMEN AT THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBERS.
SHAYKHA FATIMA IS ALSO THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE
BUSINESSWOMEN'S COMMITTEE IN ABU DHABI. SHE RECENTLY
SPONSORED THE CREATION OF "KNOWLEDGE GARDEN," A FUND
ESTABLISHED IN ABU DHABI TO HELP BUSINESSWOMEN ACQUIRE
INFORMATION ON EDUCATION/TRAINING AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITIES.
4. (SBU) FOLLOWING A SIMILAR TRIP TO FRANCE LAST YEAR, THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BUSINESSWOMEN'S COUNCIL OF ABU
DHABI CURRENTLY IS VISITING SWITZERLAND TO MEET SWISS
BUSINESSWOMEN AND TOUR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THERE. THE
ABU DHABI BUSINESSWOMEN WILL HOST THE FIRST ARAB
BUSINESSWOMEN'S FORUM IN APRIL, UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ARE EXPECTED TO INVITE A NUMBER OF
TOP U.S. WOMEN EXECUTIVES TO ATTEND.
WAHBA