The Crown Prince of Dubai has joined the UAE’s federal government as he was appointed Minister of Defence on Sunday. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will also serve as the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE.
This came as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced sweeping changes to the federal government. These changes and additional appointments were made after consultations with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to “boost operational efficiency across various sectors”.
“Sheikh Hamdan is a leader who loves his people and his people love him. We have immense confidence that he will be a great addition to the UAE government and a major contributor to shaping the country’s future,” Sheikh Mohammed posted on X.
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Taking to X, Sheikh Hamdan thanked the UAE leaders for their trust and vowed to help build a “better future for our country and our people”.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been named Deputy Prime Minister as he retains his Minister of Foreign Affairs role.
Sarah Al Amiri has been appointed Minister of Education in the UAE. She was previously Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology.
Dr Abdul Rahman Al Awar, who is Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, will also serve as the acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Ahmed Belhoul, who was the Minister of Education, will now serve the Sports Ministry.
Alia Abdullah Al Mazroui has been appointed Minister of State for Entrepreneurship. “Alia has a distinguished experience in the private and government sectors. Her role is to create economic opportunities for Emiratis,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
Education sector revamped
The Education and Human Resources Council has been expanded to include the Ministry of Community Development. Chaired by Sheikh Abdullah, with Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Vice-Chairperson, the council now handles the files of education, universities, human resources, Emiratisation and community development.
Established in 2022, the council’s mandate is to formulate an educational strategy at the federal level, endorsing goals and targets across all levels of education.
“The council guarantees the stability and continuity of education plans and strategies,” said Sheikh Mohammed. “It will supervise our national human capital from early childhood through general and higher education, all the way to employment and nationalisation. (This) will ensure stable families capable of graduating generations that adhere to their identity, preserving the values of their society and keeping pace with all future scientific and technical changes.”
Sheikha Maryam will also head a national centre tasked with boosting the quality of education.
Additionally, the Federal Authority for Early Childhood Education and the schools establishment will become part of the Ministry of Education.