The National Bank holds its first session, elects observers, and forms its permanent committees

Yesterday, the Federal National Council held its first session of its third regular session of the 18th legislative term, headed by the Speaker of the Council, Saqr Ghobash, in Zayed Hall at the Council’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, where the Council’s observers were elected and the Council’s permanent committees were formed.

The session began with the election of the Council’s observers for the third regular session, where Dr. Marwan Obaid Al Muhairi and Mira Sultan Al Suwaidi were elected by acclamation, and permanent committees were formed.

Article 40 of the bylaws stipulates the internal regulations of the Council issued by the President of the State’s decision (11/2023) as follows: “The term of observers ends with the election of new observers at the beginning of each subsequent regular annual session. If the place of one of them becomes vacant, the Council chooses someone to replace him for the remaining term, and the election in all cases shall be by a relative majority of those present,” while Article (45/d) regarding committees stipulates that “the permanent committees of the Council shall be formed in a manner Once in full at the beginning of the first session, and again at the beginning of the third session of each legislative term, unless the Bureau decides another date more appropriate to the circumstances and requirements of the work.

The Council reviewed Federal Decree No. (73) of 2025 convening the second regular session of the 18th legislative term, and three letters issued to the government regarding the recommendations of the Federal National Council on the subject of the government’s policy regarding enhancing reproductive rates in the country, and regarding a request to discuss two general topics: the government’s policy regarding Emiratization in the governmental and semi-governmental sectors, and the government’s policy regarding the Emirates Development Bank.

Regarding the messages received from the government, the Council was informed of six messages, including two messages containing the approval of the Council of Ministers to discuss two general topics: the government’s policy on supporting the quality of services provided to senior citizens, and the government’s policy on enhancing the quality of life of people of determination and integrating them into education and work. And four letters included the decisions of the Council of Ministers regarding the Council’s request to discuss the topic of the government’s policy regarding nationalization in the government and semi-governmental sectors, and regarding the recommendations of the Federal National Council that it adopted during the discussion of the topics of the government’s policy regarding raising the efficiency of workers in the government sector, the government’s policy in strengthening the role of government media to root the content and consolidate the national identity, and the government’s policy in managing and sustaining the endowment and zakat funds and enhancing their societal role.

The Council reviewed the draft laws received from the government, where a draft federal law was received regarding linking the general budget of the Federation and the budgets of independent federal agencies for the fiscal year 2026, which was referred by a decision of the Speaker of the Council to the Financial, Economic and Industrial Affairs Committee.