The United Arab Emirates: The Cabinet

Committee looks at solutions for crises that threaten the UAE’s financial prosperity

By Natasha Malik, Editor-in-Chief of the Emissary

Later this month, delegates from around the world will be attending the North American Model United Nations, held at the University of Toronto. The collegiate-level conference will consist of a total of sixteen committees, one of which will be the United Arab Emirates Cabinet.

The UAE Cabinet, filled with leaders of the nation’s seven Emirates, will look at the problems that threaten the growth of the state’s rapidly developing economy.  Issues being discussed will include the country’s reliance on the petroleum sector, problems faced by migrant workers in the state and, the more recent Gulf Cooperation Council and Qatar crisis that broke out in the summer of 2017.

Committee Chair, Semira Duman, discusses the GCC/Qatar crisis with the Emissary, emphasizing the impact that the issue has had on the diplomatic relations between the Gulf states, and on Qataris living in the UAE.

“I would like the committee to focus on this issue first, and then move on to other important issues such as the UAE’s dependency on the migrant workforce, and the challenges faced by migrant workers including low pays, abuses, and lack of labor protection.”, Duman tells us.  

Through these debates and discussions in the committee, Duman hopes the delegates will not only come up with meaningful and doable solutions in their directives but will also achieve self-growth.

She tells the Emissary that, “I want them to make connections with other delegates, to get together with them and work on persisting issues. I want them to have fun and practice public speaking, and while this may not be easy for everyone, this conference is one place where you can really push yourself to think, engage and practice certain skills.”

Duman, alongside Director of Specialized Agencies, Ines Kortebi, has been working hard to put together the background guide and train the committee staff in regular meetings.

“During these meetings we come up with possible crises that we could trigger during the conference, and discuss committee mechanics. It’s a team work, and it’s important to have everyone’s input as to how we want the committee to run.”, she tells us.

The NAMUN conference will be held at the University of Toronto from the 22nd to the 25th of February. Read more of the Emissary’s coverage on this year’s committees here.