NUMBER OF UAE WOMEN DIPLOMATS ON THE RISE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003209 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, G/IWI AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV SCUL PREL TC SUBJECT: NUMBER OF UAE WOMEN DIPLOMATS ON THE RISE ¶1. SUMMARY AND COMMENT: The UAE female diplomatic corps increased to 16 yesterday with the swearing in of 8 more women diplomats. An initiative of MFA MinState Shaykh Hamdan, the MFA began accrediting women as diplomats, with the ability to serve in embassies overseas, in 2001. The Ambassador has encouraged Hamdan to increase the number of women diplomats on a number of occasions, and we hope to see an even greater number sworn in next year. We will support and encourage the development of women diplomats through training opportunities in the U.S. and participation in International Visitor programs when possible. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. ¶2. On 8 July, MFA Minstate Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan swore in this year's crop of new diplomats. Significantly, the class of 23 new diplomats contains eight women, including Sheikha Nejla Al-Qassimi, member of the Ras Al-Khaimah ruling family, MFA Americas Desk Officer and one of our primary working- level MFA contacts. ¶3. Al-Qassimi told Poloff on July 9 that the number of female UAE diplomats now stands at 16. In 2001, the first two women diplomats were sworn in, and in 2002, six more took the oath. She noted that prior to 2001, women worked in the MFA as staff members but were not allowed to be diplomats because they were women. For example, two of the women sworn in last year -- and attending UNGA this fall -- had been working in the MFA Administrative Affairs Department as staff, although they functioned as diplomats, for six or seven years. Al-Qassimi commented that the initiative to accredit women as diplomats is being pushed by Hamdan and is supported strongly by his mother, UAE First Lady Shaykha Fatima Bint Mubarak. ¶4. In August, an 11-member working-level MFA delegation, four of them women, will attend the UN General Assembly. Al-Qassimi stated that the MFA endeavors to send junior diplomats to UNGA to gain experience -- both in the U.S. and in diplomacy. This will be the first visit to the U.S. for many of the junior diplomats attending UNGA this year. Upon arrival in New York, the working-level delegation will attend a two-week course on the UN, then assist the UAE Permanent Representative by sitting in on committee meetings, taking notes, and giving daily briefings. WAHBA