ABU DHABI, 10 April 2007 — Foreign newspapers, magazines, periodicals and books will now be able to be printed in the Emirates following a UAE Cabinet decision that gives the National Media Council (NMC) the authority to issue licenses for this, reported the Emirates News Agency (WAM) yesterday.
The Cabinet meeting, which was held on Sunday at the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, was presided by Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Sultan ibn Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy prime minister, also attended the meeting.
In an earlier meeting in March, the UAE Cabinet made it a prerequisite for all free zones in the UAE to obtain the written approval of the NMC before the issuance of any media licenses related to the broadcasting activities of radio and television and the publication of newspapers, magazines, periodicals and books.
At that time, the Cabinet had also instructed that all other related media activities in the free zones should comply with relevant laws and regulations.
“Sunday’s Cabinet meeting also took a decision to set up the Judicial Coordination Council, which will be chaired by UAE federal minister of Justice,” said Nakhira Al-Dhaheri.
The new council shall coordinate with federal and local judicial departments, and authorities to exchange expertise to develop the federal and local judicial systems.
The Cabinet also took a decision to set up a national anti-human trafficking committee. The UAE federal minister of state for FNC Affairs will chair the new committee.
Other members include representatives of the federal ministries of interior, foreign affairs, labor, health, social affairs as well as from the state security authority and the UAE Red Crescent Society (RCS).
The Cabinet also approved joining the memorandum of understanding on sea transport cooperation in the Arab East. It also approved the UAE’s decision to host the headquarters of the Arab Association of Securities Authorities. A number of agreements between the UAE and Belarus were also approved by the Cabinet, which also reviewed an extradition agreement with France.
5 Labor Residential Cities to Be Built
Meanwhile, the UAE capital will build five modern labor residential cities which can accommodate 300,000 workers. The Higher Corporation for Specialized Industrial Zones (ZonesCorp) has signed 11 contracts worth AED2.5 billion with several national companies in this regard.
Sheikh Hamed ibn Zayed Al-Nahyan, chief of the Abu Dhabi crown prince’s court and chairman of the board of directors of ZonesCorp, said: “ZonesCorp developed the plan to build facilities to accommodate 300,000 workers hired by private companies involved in current and future urban development projects in Abu Dhabi.”
