Sheikh Mohammed Opens Federal National Council

Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum opened the United Arab Emirate’s 4th Federal National Council (FNC) session this Wednesday. As Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, it was the Sheikh’s duty to read aloud President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s speech, since the President was not in attendance.

WAM

Before Sheikh Mohammed read the speech, FNC speaker Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair renewed the FNC’s pledge to ”serve the country and its citizens before Allah, the president, the vice president and the members of the Supreme Council of the Federation.”

After that, the ruler of Dubai took over to speak on Sheikh Khalifa’s behalf. The speech emphasized the UAE’s economy during the global economic crisis.

“Despite all the negative effects of the crisis, which variably hit all countries of the world, they have proven that our economy is solid and capable of absorbing its various ramifications,” the speech read. “We are confident that the steps and measures that we have taken so far will help our economy regain the initiative and continue the march of growth and construction with greater confidence and zeal.”