Law No. (4) of 2018 Concerning the General Secretariat of the Executive Council

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:
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Executive Council : The Executive Council of the Emirate.
Executive Council
Committees
: The Executive Committee and the Sub-committees.
General
Secretariat
: General Secretariat of the Executive Council.

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Secretary-
General
: Secretary-General of the Executive Council.
Governmental
Entities
: The public departments, authorities and
institutions, agencies, centres, councils and funds
and any other entity affiliated to the government
of Abu Dhabi.

Article 2 — • The Executive Council shall have a General Secretariat, with an independent ¶

legal personality and full legal capacity to act.
• The General Secretariat shall be chaired by a Secretary-General who shall
hold the position of Chairman of Department, be appointed by an Amiri
Decree, and shall be a member of the Executive Council.

Article 3 — The General Secretariat is the administrative body entrusted with preparing ¶

for the meetings of the Executive Council, arranging its sessions, preparing
its agenda, setting its minutes, keeping all of its documents, in addition
to other duties and responsibilities entrusted to it in accordance with the
provisions of this Law, and it may in particular:
1. Adjust and harmonise the strategic and implementing plans of the
Emirate in accordance with the strategic, administrative and legal
controls in force, and submit them to the Executive Council for
approval.
2. Study the topics upon the instruction of the Executive Council or
its Chairman and follow up the implementation of the instructions
issued thereon.

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3. Receive and review the applications and topics submitted to the
Executive Council.
4. Provide support to the members of the Executive Council.
5. Provide support to the Executive Council to make the appropriate
decisions and conduct the work of the Executive Council in terms of
the preparation and presentation process.
6. Follow up the implementation of the legislations and the resolutions
of the Executive Council.
7. Follow up the performance of the Executive Council Committees
on the administrative and legal levels and submit periodic reports
thereon.
8. Manage the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government
Performance.
9. Organise the channels of communication for the Executive Council
and the General Secretariat with the Federal authorities, courts of
the Rulers and Crown Princes, the local Executive Councils, the
international bodies and other bodies as determined by the Executive
Council.
10. Supervise the protocol and diplomatic affairs in coordination with the
concerned local and Federal authorities and other bodies, develop
their policies and strategies and oversee their implementation.
11. Receive the complaints from persons and entities and forward them
to the competent authorities such as Abu Dhabi Executive Office and
Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority and follow up with them.
12. Provide the legal opinion on the topics presented before the Executive
Council.
13. Manage and resolve controversial issues and complaints in case they
are not settled by the Governmental Entities and the Executive Council

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Committees and provide final legal opinion thereon in coordination
with the relevant authorities.
14. Review and submit the local and Federal draft laws, decrees, rules,
resolutions, regulations and agreements to the Executive Council for
approval.
15. Prepare and issue the Official Gazette of the Emirate.
16. Any other competencies or duties assigned thereto by the Executive
Council.

Article 4 — • The Secretary-General shall have the competence to supervise the work of ¶

the General Secretariat and shall be responsible for it before the Executive
Council and shall particularly assume the following competencies:
1. Convoke the Executive Council upon the approval of the Chairman
of the Executive Council, oversee the organisation of its meetings,
setting its minutes and keeping its documents and records.
2. Approve the topics to be brought before the Executive Council.
3. Adopt the general policy of the General Secretariat, have it approved
by the Executive Council, and oversee its implementation.
4. Issue the regulatory and implementing rules of the General Secretariat
after being approved by the Executive Council.
5. Adopt the draft annual budget of the General Secretariat and have it
approved by the Executive Council.
6. Adopt the organisational structure of the General Secretariat and
have it approved by the Executive Council.
7. Represent the General Secretariat before courts and others.
8. Appoint employees and terminate their services in accordance with
the applicable legislations.

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9. Appoint experts, consultants and technicians on a temporary or
permanent basis and determine their compensation and he may
seek the assistance of any experts and consulting establishments
and offices.
10. Enter into contracts and operational agreements with all entities
within the limits of the competencies of the General Secretariat.
11. Enter into contracts and strategic agreements with all entities,
including the conclusion of memorandums of understanding upon
the approval of the Executive Council.
12. Open bank accounts in the name of the General Secretariat, manage
and operate these accounts in accordance with the regulations
applicable at the General Secretariat.
13. Any other competencies assigned to him by the Executive Council.
• The Secretary-General may delegate some of his competencies to senior
officers of the General Secretariat.

Article 5 — The General Secretariat shall have a Director-General who holds the position ¶

of undersecretary of department and who shall be appointed by a resolution
of the Chairman of the Executive Council. He shall manage the daily work,
and may in particular:
1. Monitor the performance of the organisational units in carrying out all
their administrative competencies.
2. Propose the general policy of the General Secretariat.
3. Propose the regulatory and implementing rules of the General Secretariat.
4. Propose the draft annual budget of the General Secretariat.
5. Propose the organisational structure of the General Secretariat.
6. Any other duties assigned to him by the Secretary-General.

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Article 6 — The rules, regulations and resolutions issued in implementation of the ¶

provisions of the aforesaid Law No. (2) of 2006 shall remain valid until the
rules, regulations and resolutions relating to the General Secretariat are
issued in accordance with the applicable legislations.

Article 7 — The financial resources of the General Secretariat shall consist of the ¶

following:
• The annual appropriations allocated thereto by the Government of Abu
Dhabi.
• Any other revenues approved by the Executive Council.

Article 8 — The fiscal year of the General Secretariat shall commence on the first of ¶

January and end by the end of December of each year.

Article 9 — The General Secretariat shall have one or more external certified auditors to ¶

audit the accounts and financial statements of the General Secretariat. The
auditors shall be appointed, and their remunerations shall be determined by
a resolution of the Secretary-General.

Article 10 — All the Concerned Entities shall undertake to provide the General Secretariat ¶

with all the information, documents and data related to its duties and
competencies upon its request.

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Article 11 — • The aforesaid Law No. (2) of 2006 shall be repealed. ¶

• The aforesaid Chairman of the Executive Council Resolution No. (119) of
2016 shall be repealed.
• Any text or provision contrary to the provisions of this Law shall be
repealed.

Article 12 — This Law shall be effective from the date of its issuance and shall be published ¶

in the Official Gazette.
Issued by us in Abu Dhabi
On: 20 February 2018
Corresponding to: 4 Jumada Al Akher 1439 H
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler of Abu Dhabi

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