Sheikh Mohammed approves draft of new UAE national security law

On Tuesday, April 21, the UAE cabinet chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved a new draft law on national security that he said “guarantees the protection of society in case of disasters and any healthcare, economic and environmental threats to our country.”

Sheikh Mohammed tweeted saying: “We approved the formation of a team, headed by the UAE’s minister of state for food security and members of the public and private sector, to develop the modern agriculture sector in our country. We aim to use technology to expand our food production and create sustainable agriculture.”

We approved a draft law on the protection of national safety with legal mechanism and assigned entities in place. The new law guarantees public safety in cases of disasters and healthcare, economic and environmental threats to our country. pic.twitter.com/y3nl1ke8j3

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 21, 2020

Acknowledging that the government was preparing for a different post-Covid-19 work environment which might involve its own challenges, he added: “Another team will be formed to develop the government’s human resources and provide new applications to raise productivity and skill-sets, with preparations for new post-Covid-19 government work techniques. The world after Covid-19 will never be the same.”

Sheikh Mohammed said that the law allowed government buildings in the UAE to be repurposed into medical facilities to deal with cases arising from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“We also approved the formation of a team to study the optimal use of government buildings and facilities and the possibility of converting them into medical facilities amid this global crisis. All our capabilities will be utilized to rapidly overcome this unprecedented time,” he added.