UAE REFORM STRATEGY: THIRD QUARTERLY UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 000016

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARPI, AND NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: KDEM PREL PGOV KPAO KMPI AE
SUBJECT: UAE REFORM STRATEGY: THIRD QUARTERLY UPDATE

REF: A. ABU DHABI 4113


B. ABU DHABI 2173

C. ABU DHABI 4905

D. ABU DHABI 4909

E. DUBAI 6399

F. STATE 230430

G. ABU DHABI 3043

Classified By: CDA MARTIN R. QUINN, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary: Since the September 30 submission of the
quarterly UAE Democratic Reform Strategy update (ref A),
there have been several positive developments in our reform
strategy (ref B). Most notably, on December 1, President
Khalifa announced that a form of limited elections will be
held for half of the Federal National Council (FNC),with the
other half being appointed by the rulers of the individual
emirates as is current practice. President Khalifa described
the initiative as a first step in a broader democratization
strategy, and said that amendments giving the FNC greater
powers and allowing direct elections would follow. The
Ministry of Education subsequently announced that democracy
will become a required part of both the elementary and
secondary curricula beginning with the 2006-07 school year.
There has been no tangible progress on the adoption of either
an NGO or labor law, and no decision taken on whether to
allow a human rights NGO to operate. In the area of media
reform, the Journalists Association is close to submitting to
the UAEG its recommended revisions to the UAE's Publications
and Publishing Law so that it more closely reflects western
standards of press freedom.


2. (C) Summary (continued): In the area of improving public
sector transparency, Abu Dhabi's National Consultative
Council (NCC),which advises the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's
Executive Council, launched a web site in October that allows
citizens to follow debates and submit suggestions. On a
national scale, there are still no formal, transparent
mechanisms for the public to comment on draft federal
legislation or proposed regulations. In the judicial reform
arena, some lawyers and civil activists expressed concern
with some of the Government's Federal Penal Code amendments,
which they fear could target any political opposition
movement. End Summary.

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Representative Government
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3. (U) On December 1, President Khalifa announced a form of
limited elections for the Federal National Council (FNC),
which received the full endorsement of the Supreme Council on
December 3 (ref C and D). Although precise details of the
election have not yet been publicized, the concept would be
to have half of the FNC elected by an appointed body of
approximately 2000 electors, and the other half appointed by
the rulers of the individual emirates. President Khalifa did
not give a timetable for the limited elections. Separately,
he announced that he would submit a proposal to the FNC
during its next session recommending amendments to the UAE
constitution. These amendments would give greater power to
the FNC, increase the FNC's membership to match the
population increase, and lengthen legislative terms.
President Khalifa said that the amendments were intended to
prepare for direct elections with universal suffrage for UAE
nationals. He also stressed that women would participate in
the political process, and that he was looking forward to
more reforms on various levels of power.


4. (U) As President Khalifa was announcing his reform agenda,
the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) was
gearing up for its first-ever elections for board members.
Mohammed Omar Abdullah, director-general of the ADCCI,
described the Chamber of Commerce's election as an important
step toward building an "electoral culture" in the UAE. In
the lead-up to the December 5 election, campaigning by
candidates included posters and billboards along Abu Dhabi
thoroughfares. Of the board's 21 directors, 15 were elected,
including two expatriates, and six (including two women) were
appointed by the Abu Dhabi Emirate government. Several
hundred Emiratis, both men and women, along with expatriate
members of the Chamber of Commerce, voted.

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Civil Society Development
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5. (U) Following the announcement of FNC elections, on
December 5, Dr. Obaid al Muhairi, Director of Education and
Curriculum Development at the Ministry Of Education,
announced that beginning with the 2006-07 school year,
democracy would become part of the UAE national curriculum.
Starting in first grade, the definition and principles of
democracy would be taught each year, and then in sixth grade,
schools would introduce practical skills related to
democracy. Dr. Muhairi stated that the Ministry has a
curriculum already prepared that includes exercises such as a
model parliament and debate skills for secondary school
students.


6. (C) There has been no tangible progress on the adoption of
either an NGO or labor law, although UAEG officials continue
to tell us that the process is moving forward. Similarly,
the UAEG has yet to take a decision on whether to allow the
establishment of one or more human rights NGOs, although an
announcement was imminent, according to a December 11 news
article. It is noteworthy, however, that the Dubai Police
gave a humanitarian award in December to an activist who runs
a women's shelter in Dubai, despite the fact that her
organization does not have official recognition (ref E).


7. (U) From November 16-17, the Dubai-based Gulf Research
Center and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
co-hosted a workshop on political reforms in Gulf Cooperation
Council countries. The participants discussed domestic
factors driving the reform process, progress made in
different countries, and how the transformation is likely to
unfold. Regional and international scholars and experts
attended the event, whose overall aim was to propose ideas on
how to strengthen civil society organizations in a manner to
reinforce the political reform process.

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Media Reform
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8. (C) The UAE Journalists Association's committee
responsible for suggesting revisions to the UAE's
Publications and Publishing Law to more closely reflect
western standards of press freedom, announced in October that
it had completed its study of various proposals and would
prepare recommendations for the UAEG in early 2006. A
MEPI-funded project brought a U.S. media law expert to Abu
Dhabi in November to meet with the Journalists Association.
The consultant has since been compiling feedback on the
Journalists Association's draft law, which will be provided
to the Association (along with other information and
recommendations) in a comprehensive report expected next
month.


9. (C) On October 9, a Sharjah court finally acquitted two
journalists in a 1999 libel case brought against them by
Sharjah Municipality. This libel case has long been
identified by journalists as a cause for self-censorship
since the Publications and Publishing Law of 1980 treats
libel and defamation as criminal cases and not civil. The
press hailed the ruling as a reinforcement of "freedom of the
local media." Self-censorship by foreign journalists fearing
loss of work permits and deportation continues.

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Transparency
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10. (U) UAEG officials involved in the U.S./UAE FTA
negotiations continue to issue high-profile press items
informing the local populace about progress in the FTA
negotiations and assuring the public that the UAEG is taking
their concerns into consideration. Prior to the third round
of negotiations in November, UAE co-lead negotiator Dr.
Mohammad Khalfan bin Khirbash was quoted in all of the Arabic
dailies as saying, "we are pro-actively engaged with our
Chambers of Commerce, business, professional, and industrial
associations and other private sector representative bodies
to find a common position on which we base our negotiations."


11. (U) The Emirate of Abu Dhabi's National Consultative
Council, which advises the Abu Dhabi Executive Council,
launched a web site October 1 that allows anyone to follow
Council debates and to submit complaints, suggestions, and
petitions directly to the NCC members. Each NCC member has
an e-mail address published on the site, and the web site
offers a bulletin board and live chat room where visitors can
view NCC debates live. Rashid Salem al Nuaimi, the NCC's
Deputy Secretary General, billed the web site an "educational
instrument" for students and citizens to learn about Abu
Dhabi government.


12. (U) In his National Day speech, President Khalifa stated
that one of his priorities in 2006 would be to improve
government accountability and transparency, but he did not
provide specifics.

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Justice Reform
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13. (C) The issuance of Federal Law No. 34 for 2005 amending
a range of articles in the Federal Penal Code caused some
concern among some lawyers and social activists. In
particular, they focused on amendments to Article 180, which
provides for imprisonment of any person who sets up a
society, organization or group with the intention of
overthrowing the government, obstructing the constitution or
laws, undermining the pillars of government, or jeopardizing
national unity or social peace. While the intention may be
to close loopholes regarding terrorists and extremist
organizations, some lawyers and social activists found the
language "overly broad," with one Embassy contact suggesting
that the new law could be used to silence any group, civil
association, or organization that criticizes the government
or which calls for social change. The new law did not go
through the normal ratification process beginning with
consultation with the FNC, but was issued by President
Khalifa and ratified by the Supreme Council in the FNC's
absence.

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Other Reform Developments
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14. (U) The following are some of the other reform-related
developments that occurred during the last quarter of 2005:

-- On November 14, the UAE Federal Cabinet ratified the UN
Anti-Corruption Convention. The measure went into effect on
December 15, 2005.

-- On December 13 the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP) country office in the UAE hosted a training workshop
for 25 local journalists to discuss the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG). Participants at the workshop
discussed the media,s role in raising awareness among
decision makers, the private sector, and civil society and in
advocating for developing national plans and committing
necessary resources towards achieving the MDGs. Among the
speakers was a representative from the UAE Ministry of
Economy and Planning.

-- In December, the UAE Ministry of Labor announced that it
will form a Supreme Labor Committee that will provide a venue
for the private sector to discuss labor market problems with
appropriate UAEG and emirate-level officials. The Ministry
of Labor is expected to consult with the group on upcoming
decisions and policies -- possibly including anticipated
revisions to the UAE labor law.

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MEPI Programming Ideas
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15. (C) Post endorses Department suggestions to pursue UAE
components of the Arab Civitas, ICNL, and Rule of Law
programs (ref F). We will identify and contact appropriate
interlocutors to seek the UAE's inclusion in these projects,
and will respond septel to programs gaps noted.
QUINN