UAE CHANGES WEEKEND TO FRIDAY-SATURDAY

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002045 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL, NEA/ARP, EB STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR BELL, KARESH, AND ROSENBURG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB PHUM PREL ETRD AE SUBJECT: UAE CHANGES WEEKEND TO FRIDAY-SATURDAY REF: A. ABU DHABI 1723 ¶B. ABU DHABI 1223 ¶1. (U) The UAE announced on May 17 that beginning September 1, 2006, all schools and government offices will move from a Thursday-Friday weekend to a Friday-Saturday weekend. Although the Cabinet decision applies only to federal and government organizations and public and private schools, many UAE officials anticipate that the private sector will change to a Friday-Saturday weekend as well. (Note: Dubai's private sector already follows a Friday-Saturday weekend. End note.) ¶2. (SBU) Labor Minister Ali Al Ka'abi personally advocated for this change, as he believes it will bring the UAE more "in-line" with the international business community. On April 23, Minister Al Ka'abi told Ambassador that he had proposed to the UAE Cabinet that the public sector change the weekend from the current Thursday-Friday schedule to a Friday-Saturday weekend (ref A). Al Ka,abi said that Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, favored the change and would even prefer a Saturday-Sunday weekend. ¶3. (SBU) Al Ka'abi had previously told USG officials that the changed work week would be a component of the upcoming revisions to the labor law. During a March 18 meeting with DRL DAS Barks-Ruggles and Ambassador, Al Ka'abi said that the "most important" part of the draft labor law under review by the chambers of commerce and business groups was the provision changing the weekend to Friday-Saturday (ref B). However, the May 17 announcement was a stand-alone announcement, and had nothing to do with expected revisions to the labor law. ¶4. (U) Commenting on the changed workweek, the English-language daily "Gulf News" reported May 17 that a study conducted by the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) showed that changing the workweek would boost the stock markets, banks, insurance companies, and the UAE's foreign trade. Tanmia also anticipates the change will help to increase private sector business activity and reduce losses from the interruption caused by the difference between the UAE's weekend and the rest of the world. SISON