Constitution of the United Arab Emirates/Part 4-3

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CHAPTER (3)
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Article (55)

The Federal Council of Ministers consists of the Prime Minister, his deputies and a number of ministers.

Article (56)

For a person to be a minister that person must be a citizen of the UAE known for his competence and experience.

Article (54)

The Prime Minister, his deputies and the ministers shall, before assuming office, take the following oath before the President of the UAE:

“I swear by Allah, the Great, that I shall be loyal to the United Arab Emirates; respect its Constitution and laws; discharge my duties faithfully; completely observe the interests of the people of the UAE, and completely safeguard the existence of the UAE and its territorial integrity.”

Article (54)

The law specifies the powers and responsibilities of the ministers and the powers of each minister. The first Federal Council of Ministers shall be composed of the following ministries:

1.	Foreign Affairs	2.	Interior
3.	Defense	4.	Finance, Economy and Industry
5.	Justice	6.	Education
7.	Public Health	8.	Public Works and Agriculture
9.	Communications, Post, Telegraph and Telephone	10.	Labor and Social Affairs
11.	Information	12.	Planning

Article (59)

The Prime Minister presides over the meetings of the Council of Ministers, calls the Council into session, runs its discussions, follows up the activities of the ministers, and supervises the co-ordination of activities among the ministries and in all the executive organs of the UAE.

One of the Deputy Prime Ministers shall exercise all the powers of the Prime Minister in the event of the Prime Minister’s absence for any reason^[1].

Article (60)

The Council of Ministers, being the executive organ of the UAE, manages under the high oversight of the President of the UAE and the Supreme Council all the federal internal and foreign affairs as provided in the Constitution and the federal laws.

The Council of Ministers, in particular, exercises the following powers:

1. Follow up the implementation of the general policy of the UAE Government inside and outside the country.

2. Initiate federal bills and submit them to the Federal National Council before they are sent to the President of the UAE for forwarding them to the Supreme Council for approval.

3. Lay down the federal annual general budget and closing account.

4. Prepare draft decrees and different decisions.

5. Issue such regulations as may be necessary for implementing the federal laws insomuch as these regulations do not amend, put on hold, or except certain persons from the implementation of these laws; and issue police regulations and other regulations regulating the public departments and administrations as provided in the Constitution and the federal laws. A competent federal minister or any other administrative authority may be delegated, by special law provision or by the Council of Ministers, to issue some of these regulations.

6. Supervise, through all the competent authorities in the UAE or in the Emirates, the implementation of the federal laws, decrees, decisions and regulations.

7. Supervise the execution of judgments rendered by the federal courts and the implementation of international treaties and conventions concluded by the UAE.

8. Appoint and dismiss federal employees in accordance with the provisions of the law provided that such appointment and dismissal does not need to be made by a decree.

9. Oversee the performance of activities in the federal public departments and administrations and the conduct and discipline of the federal employees in general.

10. Have such powers as may be vested in the Council of Ministers by law or determined by the Supreme Council within the limits of the Constitution.

Article (61)

The deliberations of the Council of Ministers are held in camera. The decisions of the Council of Ministers are issued by majority vote of its members. In case of equal vote, the Prime Minister has a casting vote. The minority shall abide by the opinion of the majority.

Article (62)

While in office, the Prime Minister, the Deputies of the Prime Minister, or any Minister of the UAE may not practice any professional, commercial or financial activity or enter into any commercial transactions with the Government of the UAE or the Governments of the Emirates or holds, besides his office, more than one official post in the Government of an Emirate^[2].

Article (63)

Members of the Council of Ministers shall seek to serve the interests of the UAE, enhance the public welfare, avoid completely to make personal benefits, and shall not exploit their official post in any way to their benefit or to the benefit of anyone with whom they have special relationship.

Article (64)

The Prime Minister, his deputies and the ministers collectively are politically answerable to the President of the UAE and the Federal Supreme Council for implementing the internal and foreign general policy of the UAE. Each one of them is personally answerable to the President of the UAE and the Supreme Council for the activities of his ministry or office.

Where the Prime Minister resigns, is removed from office, or is dead or where his office falls vacant for any reason whatsoever, the whole Cabinet is deemed resigned. The President of the UAE may ask the ministers to remain in office temporarily to manage urgent affairs till the new Cabinet is formed^[3].

Article (65)

At the beginning of every financial year, the Council of Ministers submits to the President of the UAE a detailed report on the internal achievements and on the UAE’s relations with other states and international organizations. The President of the UAE then submits the report to the Supreme Council. The report also contains the recommendations of the Cabinet on the best ways to strengthen the foundations of the UAE, consolidate its security and stability, and achieve its goals and progress in all fields.

Article (66)

1. The Council of Ministers makes its own by-law including its rules of procedure.

2. The Council of Ministers establishes a general secretariat staffed by a number of officers to assist the Council in performing its duties.

Article (67)

The law determines the salaries of the Prime Minister, his deputies and the other ministers^[4].

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1. Article (59) was amended by Constitutional Amendment 1/2009 .
2. Article (62) was amended by Constitutional Amendment 1/2009. The previous article reads as follows:
   “While in office, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, or any Minister of the UAE may not practice any professional, commercial or financial activity or enter into any commercial transactions with the Government of the UAE or the Governments of the Emirates or be, besides his office, a member of a board of directors of a commercial or financial company.
   The Prime Minister may not hold, besides his post, more than an official post in an Emirate and shall give up all his other local official posts, if any.”
3. Article (64)was amended by Constitutional Amendment 1/2009.
4. Article (67) was amended by Constitutional Amendment 1/2009.