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UAE gets happiness, tolerance ministers

Dubai - These positions are just two of the sweeping changes announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Monday.

The UAE will soon have a Minister of State for Happiness with the mission to "channel policies and plans to achieve happier society". Another new position, the Minister of Tolerance, will "inculcate tolerance as a fundamental value in the UAE."
These positions are just two of the sweeping changes announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in a series of tweets on Monday's "Social Media Dialogue of the Future." The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, approved a large-scale restructuring of the federal government. Shaikh Mohammed said that "in the new structure of Federalgovernment, we will have a road map for outsourcing most of the government services to the private sector". "The new government is comprised of less ministries but more ministers handling national, strategic and dynamic files," Shaikh Mohammed explained. "The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education will be merged under one minister supported by two ministers of state."
"We will establish a new independent entity to manage public schools," he added. "UAE public schools will enjoy a great level of power and independence."Additionally, Shaikh Mohammed noted that the mandate of the Ministry of Education has been extended to supervise "all levels from nurseries to higher education.""We have also established a higher council of education and human resources to lead a comprehensive change for the future generation," he noted.
In another major change, the government has approved a restructure in the Ministry of Health - now called the Ministry of Health and Prevention - and "launched an independent entity to oversee and manage public hospitals".
"The role of the Ministry of Health will evolve to focus more on the prevention of diseases," he added. Shaikh Mohammed also noted that the Ministry of Labour will become the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Tanmia - the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority - will be attached to the new ministry.
Marriage Fund is now integrated into the Ministry of Social Affairs, which will henceforth be known as the Ministry of Community Development.
Other changes include the transformation of the Ministry of Culture to the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, and of the Ministry of Environment and Water to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
The National Council of Tourism and Antiquities will now be attached to the Ministry of Economy, and the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been expanded to oversee UAE aid abroad, and will now be called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The Ministry of International Cooperation and Development will now be a part of that ministry.
The Ministry of Cabinet Affairs is now known as the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, which "will be tasked with preparing UAE for post-oil future".
A new "UAE Youth Council" will bring together young men and women under the age of 22 to serve as government advisors on youth issues, while a new UAE Council of Scientists will "review national policy for science, technology and innovation."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com