Law No. (2) of 2020 Concerning the Establishment of Abu Dhabi Center for Arabic Language

Article 1 — In the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the following words and ¶

phrases shall have the meanings corresponding thereto unless the context
requires otherwise:

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Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Government : The Government of Abu Dhabi.
Executive Council : The Executive Council of the Emirate.
Department : The Department of Culture and Tourism.
Centre : Abu Dhabi Center for Arabic Language.
Chairman : The Chairman of the Centre.

Article 2 — • A Centre shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Law under ¶

the name of “Abu Dhabi Center for Arabic Language”. The Centre shall have
an independent corporate personality and affiliated to the Department.
• The Executive Council may change the affiliation of the Centre to any
entity determined thereby.

Article 3 — The main office of the Centre shall be located in Abu Dhabi city. Branches ¶

or Offices thereof may be established by a resolution of the Chairman of
the Department, inside or outside the Emirate, following the approval of the
Executive Council.

Article 4 — The Centre shall assume the following competencies: ¶

1. Lay down the policies and strategic plans of the Centre to advance the
Arabic language, and submit them to the Department for ratification in
preparation for their approval by the Executive Council.
2. Propose the necessary legislations for empowering the Arabic language
and enhancing its use in various communications and official operations
in the Emirate, in coordination with the concerned authorities.
3. Conduct a regular periodic review of the educational curricula and

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educational systems for Arabic language in educational institutions,
with the aim of developing them and setting scientific standards related
thereto in coordination with the concerned entities.
4. Lay down indicators for the challenges facing the contemporary Arabic
language, its reality and presence, and measurement indicators for
comparison with other languages, and prepare databases in this field.
5. Prepare reports and studies on the Arabic content available on platforms,
and develop plans and launch initiatives for the enhancement of the
efficiency of such content.
6. Launch awareness and media initiatives in support of the Arabic language
and measure their effectiveness in promoting national identity and the
sense of national pride and in instilling a culture of reading in Arabic
among the members of society.
7. Support creativity, writing and scientific research in the various Arabic
language arts and fields and carrying out translation, authoring and
publishing work in a way that ensures keeping pace with the renewable
art, literature and science requirements.
8. Launch initiatives supporting non-Arabic speakers who are learning and
studying the Arabic language.
9. Establish and manage libraries and centres specialised in Arabic language,
its manuscript heritage, dialects, sciences, literature, arts, poetry, and
its relationship with other languages. Organisation of specialised book
exhibitions and conferences related to the Centre’s specialisations, in
accordance with the legislations in force.
10. Propose agreements and memoranda of understanding and enter into
partnerships related to the Centre’s competencies and submit them
to the Department for approval in accordance with the applicable
legislations.
11. Enhance the use of the Arabic language in artificial intelligence systems,
technology and modern technologies and develop them in order to
prepare encyclopaedias, dictionaries and specialised scientific books.

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12. Organise, support and launch local and international awards and
specialised magazines that stimulate the contribution to the development
of the Arabic language.
• The Executive Council may amend the competencies of the Centre as set
out in this Law or any other legislation by deletion, addition or transfer.
• The Centre may delegate some of its competencies to any other government
agency or outsource some of them to the private sector following the
approval of the Executive Council based on the Department’s proposal.

Article 5 — The Centre shall have a Chairman to be appointed by a Chairman of the ¶

Executive Council Resolution. He shall conduct and supervise the Centre’s
operations and shall be liable for its works before the Chairman of the
Department. He may in particular assume the following:
1. Propose the strategic and executive plans of the Centre and present
them to the Chairman of the Department in preparation for raising the
same for approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
2. Follow up the implementation of the strategic and executive plans of the
Centre as well as the programmes and projects managed or implemented
by the latter.
3. Manage, develop and implement all strategic and executive tasks
delegated to the Centre either directly or through work teams that he
assigns or entrusts with tasks in a manner that is consistent with the
applicable legislations.
4. Propose initiatives, programmes, projects, studies and recommendations
related to the operations and activities of the Centre and submit them to
the Chairman of the Department in preparation for submitting them for
approval in accordance with the procedures adopted at the Department.
5. Propose the draft annual budget of the Centre and present it to the
Chairman of the Department in preparation for raising it for approval in
accordance with the applicable legislations.
6. Propose the organisational structure and present it to the Chairman of

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the Department in preparation for raising it for approval in accordance
with the applicable legislations.
7. Appoint experts, consultants and technicians, temporarily or
permanently, and determine their fees. He may seek the assistance of
experts, institutions and consulting offices he deems appropriate.
8. Open bank accounts in the name of the Centre in accordance with
applicable legislations.
9. Form internal committees and work teams from among the employees
of the Centre and others, and determine their tasks and procedures for
running their work.
10. Propose legislations, regulatory and executive regulations, systems,
policies, resolutions and circulars related to the Centre’s competencies
and raise them for approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
11. Propose the fees, tariffs and prices related to the Centre’s specialisations
and present them to the Chairman of the Department in preparation for
raising them for approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
12. Represent the Centre before the courts and third parties.
13. Any other competencies or tasks assigned to him by the Executive
Council.
The Chairman may delegate some of his powers to any of the senior
employees at the Centre, provided that the delegation is made in writing.

Article 6 — The Centre shall submit a report to the Department every three months ¶

or whenever requested by the Department, regarding its operations,
achievements, budget, administrative and financial affairs and stages of
progress it has achieved in implementing the functions and tasks assigned
thereto.

Article 7 — The Department shall provide logistical support and all operational works ¶

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related to support services including the human and financial resources’
affairs, procurement, electronic systems and other works and services
related to the corporate affairs of the Centre.

Article 8 — The financial resources of the Centre shall consist of the following: ¶

• The annual appropriations allocated thereto by the Government.
• The gifts and donations offered thereto following the approval of the
Executive Council.
• Any other revenues approved by the Executive Council.

Article 9 — The fiscal year of the Centre shall start on the first of January and end on the ¶

last day of December of each year, except for the first fiscal year which shall
start from the effective date of this Law and end on the last day of December
of the following year.

Article 10 — The Centre shall have one or more external certified auditors to verify its ¶

financial accounts and statements. Their appointment and remuneration
shall be determined by a resolution of the Chairman of the Department in
accordance with the applicable legislations.

Article 11 — • The financial laws and regulations applicable in the Emirate shall apply to ¶

the Centre.
• The human resources laws and regulations applicable in the Emirate shall
apply to the employees of the Centre.
• The Nationals among them shall be subject to the Civil Retirement Pensions
and Benefits law applicable in the Emirate.

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Article 12 — The following shall be transferred to the Centre by the resolution of the ¶

Chairman of the Department:
1. Projects and initiatives related to the Centre’s competencies.
2. The employees of the Department who have been determined, without
prejudice to their financial allocations.

Article 14 — This Law shall be effective from the date of its issuance and published in the ¶

Official Gazette.
Issued by us in Abu Dhabi
On: 27 February 2020
Corresponding to: 03 Rajab 1441 Hijri
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler of Abu Dhabi

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Decrees
Decrees

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