DEMOCRACY STRATEGY AND GOALS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 085356 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SCUL KMPI EAID AE SUBJECT: DEMOCRACY STRATEGY AND GOALS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES REF: A. 07 ABU DHABI 1869 ¶B. 07 STATE 130991 Classified By: NEA DAS Kent Patton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) The Department approves Embassy Abu Dhabi,s proposed democracy strategy for the next twelve to eighteen months as discussed on June 4 via secure telecon. This cable summarizes the new strategy, which is an update to Embassy Abu Dhabi,s previous democracy strategy (ref A). -------------- UPDATED DEMOCRACY STRATEGY -------------- ¶2. (C) Embassy Abu Dhabi identified four reform areas for the next twelve to eighteen months: political participation and representation, development of an active and independent press, government transparency, and judicial independence. ¶3. (C) Objective 1: Increase political participation and representation. Implementation Strategy: -- Encourage UAEG to broaden electoral base for the FNC beyond the current base of less than seven thousand Emiratis out of approximately 300,000 over the age of 18. Meet with government officials specifically on this issue and solicit their ideas on how to broaden this base. Suggest creating a voting roster from each Emirate. -- Encourage the UAEG to consider a broader mandate beyond an advisory body and expanded role for the FNC (an issue currently under discussion as reported by the UAE press). -- Advance capacity-building within elected and appointed government bodies and student councils, and to provide institutional training across the UAEG on political participation. -- Encourage the capacity building of representative institutions and members through training in communication skills and organizational effectiveness. -- Continue to note the merits of independent labor unions. Promote the importance of the right to organize and collectively bargain. -- Continue to promote the freedom of association and the development of civil society. Press the UAEG to offer greater political space for professional associations, NGOs, academics, and civil society in general, and offer training and capacity-building support. -- Press the UAEG to stop blacklisting (as "Muslim brothers") activists who counter official views yet pose no security threat. -- Encourage FNC members to assert their consultative and oversight functions through participation in tailored IVLP activities, Voluntary Visitor projects and other USG programs. ¶4. (C) Objective 2: Develop an active and independent press. Implementation Strategy: -- Press for passage of revisions to the press law recommended by the UAEJA, and engage the press in training programs that enhance analytic and investigative skills in particular. -- Raise the value of freedom of expression with senior UAEG officials regularly, and press them to refrain from blocking media outlets in Dubai Media City, including outlets that report on domestic and foreign issues. -- Encourage the development and training of spokespersons within UAEG who have credible media skills, and encourage spokesperson interaction with the press. ¶5. (C) Objective 3: Increase government transparency. Implementation Strategy: -- Encourage higher quality record keeping in UAE ministries, including through issue-specific training opportunities. -- Encourage continued posting of draft laws, such as the labor law, and press for open publication and online posting of all governmental agendas, priorities, and new laws (eventually including all existing laws) through easily-accessible formats in Arabic and English. -- Seek a mechanism for UAE citizens to directly engage with government proposals and legislation. -- Encourage UAE citizens, even through small programs that reach a limited audience, to seek out public information and hold the government accountable. -- Encourage public interest in deliberations of the Federal National Council and other administrative bodies. (One UAE op-ed writer recently called for televising FNC proceedings.) -- With recent positive ratings in government transparency by S&P in Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah, encourage the other Emirates to promote government transparency by submitting to independent evaluations. ¶6. (C) Objective 4: Promote judicial independence. Implementation Strategy: -- Promote the further development of Emirati national legal expertise in a judicial system still largely staffed by third country nationals. -- Encourage development of judicial expertise, professionalism and independence. -- Match legislative openness (new laws on the Internet) with judicial accountability by putting the essence of rulings in the public domain in a similarly user-friendly format. -- Encourage the expansion of opportunities for female participation in the judicial system to help improve the ratio of Emirati nationals, and women, available for service as judges. (The first female UAE judge was appointed in March 2008.) -- Promote legal training for judges and prosecutors, and offer continuing training courses and exchange programs in the U.S. -- Pursue a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with the UAE to enhance bilateral cooperation and instill a greater sense of judicial accountability on an international level. -- Promote exchanges that enhance law school programs in the UAE and the region, creating linkages between UAE and U.S. law schools. -------------- POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Please contact NEA/PI Charles Kiamie at (202) 776-8841 or KiamieCE@state.sgov.gov for any necessary further background information. RICE