For the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Decree by Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
State: United Arab Emirates.
Ministry: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister: Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Ministry Council: Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Corps Council: Council of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps.
Representative Mission: Embassies, consulates, and representative offices of the State in foreign countries, and the State’s permanent delegations to regional and international organizations, authorities, and agencies.

The Ministry shall formulate the necessary proposals for planning the foreign policy of the State and shall supervise the implementation of such policy in coordination with the concerned State authorities. The Ministry shall have the competence to undertake the following competences:
1. Protecting the interests of the State and its nationals abroad.
2. Supervising all relations of the State with other countries and managing and exchanging diplomatic and consular representation therewith.
3. Supervising all relations of the State with regional and international organizations.
4. Proposing the principal orientations of the State’s foreign policy.
5. Participating in negotiations relating to foreign relations.
6. Organizing the State’s participation in regional and international organizations, conferences, and exhibitions.
7. Conducting communications, consultations, and negotiations for the conclusion of all agreements, treaties, and memoranda of understanding to which the State seeks to become a party, granting approvals to the entities in this regard, undertaking the necessary procedures for accession to international agreements and treaties, supervising the ratification of agreements and treaties signed or acceded to by the State, and following up on their implementation, interpretation, and denunciation. All of the foregoing shall be undertaken in coordination with the other concerned authorities in the State and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the resolutions of the Cabinet.
8. Collecting, analyzing, and evaluating political, economic, and other information relating to developments affecting the foreign relations of the State, formulating the State’s positions thereon, and disseminating such positions to the concerned authorities.
9. Regulating communications between the ministries, entities, and departments of the State and foreign authorities, other governments, and their Representative Missions.
10. Promoting awareness of the State, its civilizational values, and its policies; advocating and defending the same; and fostering respect therefor among official and public bodies abroad, in coordination with the concerned authorities in the State.
11. Authenticating certificates, instruments, and documents issued or endorsed by the ministries and governmental institutions of the State, or authenticated by the State’s missions abroad or by the Representative Missions of foreign countries accredited to the State, whenever required.
12. Undertaking matters relating to privileges, immunities, and protocol for the State’s Representative Missions and their accredited heads and members abroad, and supervising matters of privileges, immunities, and protocol for resident and non-resident Representative Missions and their accredited heads and members to the State, as well as for international organizations headquartered in the State.
13. Issuing and renewing diplomatic, special, and emergency passports for nationals of the State, as well as mission passports; determining the categories eligible therefor and the rules and conditions governing their issuance, by way of exception to Federal Law No. (17) of 1972 Regarding Nationality and Passports, as amended.
14. Issuing and renewing diplomatic or special passports for persons other than the categories specified in clause (13) of this Article, without extending the same to their families, pursuant to a decision of the President of the State or either of the Vice Presidents thereof upon the proposal of the Minister.
15. Coordinating with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security regarding the issuance of entry visas for foreigners abroad, in accordance with the controls set forth in the Law regarding the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and its Executive Regulations.
16. Preparing and issuing the diplomatic, consular, administrative, and financial instructions necessary for Representative Missions to perform their functions.
17. Supervising all Representative Missions.
18. Coordinating and participating with the relevant authorities in matters relating to borders.
19. Supervising matters relating to human rights, disarmament, international security and peace, the maintenance of peace, and emerging international issues, in coordination with the concerned authorities.
20. Coordinating with the concerned authorities on matters relating to foreign trade and foreign investment.
21. Proposing the State’s general policy, regulations, systems, and guidelines regarding development, international cooperation, and foreign assistance, including aid, grants, donations, assistance, and loans, in coordination with the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council and the relevant authorities, and submitting the same to the Cabinet for approval.
22. Determining priority areas of development, international cooperation, and foreign assistance, as well as the volume and type of support that the State may provide, in cooperation with its donor entities and the Emirates Agency for International Aid, in light of the approved policy in this regard.
23. Representing the State in regional and international non-financial development institutions related to relief and international assistance, including non-governmental organizations, in coordination with the UAE Agency for International Aid.
24. Coordinating with the concerned authorities in the State to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation in economic, commercial, cultural, advanced science and technology, medical and life sciences, energy, sustainability, and other affairs with other countries.
25. Establishing and organizing a comprehensive database of information and data relating to the competences of the Ministry at the State level, in coordination with the concerned authorities, and ensuring integration in the exchange of information and data.
26. Conducting specialized studies and research in fields related to the competences of the Ministry, including monitoring and analyzing regional and international phenomena, risks, and trends.
27. Any other competences assigned thereto pursuant to laws, regulations, or resolutions issued by the Cabinet.

1. The Minister shall be the principal adviser to the President of the State in foreign affairs and shall take decisions on political matters presented on a day-to-day basis in accordance with the general policy of the State as determined by the Federal Supreme Council and the President of the State. The Minister shall submit recommendations regarding the principal orientations relating to the planning of the State’s foreign policy and matters of significance requiring the adoption of supreme and significant political decisions by the Federal Supreme Council, the President of the State, and the Cabinet.
2. The Minister shall represent the Ministry before the higher State authorities and before the Federal National Council, shall conduct high-level communications and consultations with other countries and organizations, and shall receive heads of missions accredited to the State and special envoys.

The Minister shall exercise the following competences:
1. Proposing the foreign policy and supervising its implementation following its approval by the concerned constitutional authorities.
2. Proposing draft laws, decrees, and regulations relating to the Ministry and submitting the same to the Cabinet.
3. Supervising the conduct of work within the Ministry and issuing the necessary instructions in this regard.
4. Supervising the implementation of the annual budget allocated to the Ministry.
5. Consulting with the concerned authorities in the Emirates of the State in the exercise of competences where such exercise relates to those authorities.
6. Delegating certain of their powers to Ministers of State assigned to supervise one or more of the portfolios falling within the competences of the Ministry, the Assistant Ministers, the undersecretary of the Ministry, the assistant undersecretaries, or senior officials of the Ministry.
7. Any other powers stipulated by federal laws, systems, regulations, and decisions.
 

The Minister shall have one or more Assistant Ministers. Their salaries, allowances, and privileges shall be determined in accordance with the legislation regulating the same. Each Assistant Minister shall undertake the following:
1. Assist the Minister in managing the Ministry’s departments, administering its affairs, and implementing its approved policy.
2. Supervise the proper functioning of the organizational units subordinate thereto as set out in the organizational structure of the Ministry.
3. Exercise the competences delegated thereto by the Minister.
The organizational units of the General Diwan and the Representative Missions shall be directly affiliated to the Assistant Minister, each within their respective competence, in respect of the executive functions falling within such competences and shall be accountable to the Minister for the performance thereof.

The Ministry shall have an Undersecretary assisted by a number of Assistant Undersecretaries. The organizational units stipulated in the organizational structure of the Ministry shall report to the Undersecretary, who shall exercise the following competences:
1. Proposing the systems necessary to ensure the proper conduct of administrative work within the Ministry and to enhance the performance of the entities, and submitting the same to the Minister for the issuance of the necessary decisions in that regard.
2. Supervising the work of the organizational units concerned with financial and administrative affairs subordinate thereto.
3. Reviewing the draft budget of the Ministry after preparation by its entities and submitting the same to the Minister.
4. Considering proposals and recommendations submitted thereto.
5. Exercising the competences delegated thereto by the Minister.
The Undersecretary and the Assistant Undersecretaries shall be entitled to all salaries, privileges, and allowances prescribed therefor under the relevant legislation. In the absence of the Undersecretary, the person designated by a decision of the Minister shall act on their behalf.
 

1. The organizational units of the Ministry shall be classified as follows:
    a. Diplomatic organizational units.
    b. Consular organizational units.
    c. Administrative organizational units.
2. The organizational structure of the Ministry shall determine the nature of the classification of the various organizational units.
 

1. The positions within the Ministry shall be classified as follows:
    a. Diplomatic positions, which shall be under the supervision of the Corps Council;
    b. Consular positions, which shall be under the supervision of the undersecretary;
    c. Administrative positions, which shall be under the supervision of the undersecretary.
2. The positions shall be determined and classified in accordance with decisions issued by the Minister.
 

Supervisory posts within the Ministry shall be as follows:
1. Assistant Ministers.
2. The undersecretary.
3. Assistant undersecretaries.
 

1. The following positions shall be filled by decision of the Minister:
    a. Directors of Departments and their deputies;
    b. Branch Office Managers and their deputies in the Emirates of the State;
    c. Directors of Offices of the General Diwan of the Ministry and their deputies.
2. The filling of other positions and transfers between organizational units subordinate to the Undersecretary shall be made by decision issued thereby. The filling of positions and transfers between organizational units subordinate to the Assistant Ministers shall be made by decision of the Undersecretary, upon the recommendation of the competent Assistant Minister, as the case may be.

By decision of the Minister, holders of supervisory posts and positions may be granted the title of Ambassador while occupying the post or position. Such title shall cease immediately upon the cessation of the capacity for which it was granted.

The Minister may select diplomatic trainees who shall not be deemed employees of the Ministry. They shall receive a monthly stipend funded from the Ministry’s budget, the controls and amount of which shall be determined by decision of the Minister.

The structure of the Ministry shall consist of:
1. The General Diwan;
2. The Representative Missions.
The establishment, abolition, or change in the level of representation of such missions shall be effected by the Federal Decree upon the proposal of the Minister and the approval of the Cabinet.
 

The General Diwan of the Ministry shall consist of the following:
1. A Principal Apparatus, arranged as follows:
    a. The Minister.
    b. The Minister of State for International Cooperation.
    c. Assistant Ministers.
    d. The Undersecretary of the Ministry.
    e. The Assistant Undersecretary.
2. The organizational units as determined by the organizational structure of the Ministry.
 

1. The Ministry shall prepare its organizational structure in a manner commensurate with its competences and operational requirements, and shall submit the same to the Cabinet for approval.
2. Any amendment, merger, abolition, or creation of organizational units at the level of departments and above included in the organizational structure shall be subject to the approval of the Cabinet.
3. Any amendment, merger, abolition, or creation of organizational units below the level of departments included in the organizational structure shall be effected by decision of the Minister.
 

The Cabinet may, upon the proposal of the Minister, assign any Ministers as it deems appropriate to supervise one or more of the portfolios falling within the competences of the Ministry.

1. A permanent council shall be established within the Ministry, to be called the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs Council”, chaired by the Minister and comprising a number of members not fewer than six. The Council shall be formed by a decision of the Minister.
2. The Ministry Council shall have a General Secretariat headed by a Secretary-General, appointed from among the Ministry’s personnel by a decision of the Minister. The Secretary-General shall attend the meetings of the Council without having a vote.
3. The Executive Regulations of this Decree by Law shall determine the quorum required for the validity of the Council’s meetings and the issuance of its decisions or recommendations, its rules of procedure, and the competences and organization of the General Secretariat.
 

The Ministry Council shall have the following competences:
1. Discussing and approving the strategies and plans of the Ministry in alignment with the vision of the United Arab Emirates, monitoring their implementation, and proposing the general foreign policy, political positions, and messages, based on the State’s orientations.
2. Discussing political, economic, security, international cooperation, cultural, human rights, and public international law developments, and the extent of their impact on the State’s foreign policy, and formulating visions and plans for dealing therewith.
3. Examining reports on the progress of work within the Ministry to ascertain the extent of their consistency with the Government’s general directives and the Ministry’s approved strategies, and issuing such decisions as may be required in this regard.
4. Discussing and approving the Ministry’s annual general budget and determining the principal orientations and general framework for its implementation prior to submission to the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the annual Budget Law.
5. Approving priority initiatives within the Ministry relating to foreign policy, reviewing related reports, and issuing directives thereon.
6. Approving the plan for the establishment of Representative Missions and determining the level of diplomatic and consular representation of the State with other countries, as well as its relations with regional and international organizations, and submitting the same to the Minister for approval.
7. Approving the classification of hardship areas proposed by the Corps Council and submitting the same to the Minister for approval.
8. Approving the recommendations of the Corps Council concerning the granting of diplomatic decorations and medals and submitting the same to the Minister for approval.
9. Discussing draft laws, systems, regulations, and regulatory instruments relating to the Ministry proposed by the Corps Council, and submitting recommendations thereon to the Minister.
10. Following up on the implementation of matters referred to the Ministry by the President of the State or by the Cabinet.
11. Discussing draft organizational structures of the Ministry’s organizational units and submitting recommendations thereon to the Minister.
12. Any other competences assigned thereto by the Minister.
 

1. A council shall be established within the Ministry under the name “Diplomatic and Consular Corps Council”, composed of not fewer than seven members, including the Chairman, pursuant to a decision issued by the Minister.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of this Decree by Law, the Corps Council shall exercise, in respect of members of the Corps within the Ministry, the competences assigned to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources under the Human Resources Law applicable in the Federal Government.
 

1. Federal laws regarding the Diplomatic and Consular Corps System, as amended, and the decisions, regulations, and systems implementing the same shall apply to members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps.
2. Federal laws regarding Human Resources in the Federal Government, as amended, and the decisions, regulations, and systems implementing the same shall apply to all administrative cadre personnel.
 

1. The Minister may appoint as Assistant Ministers, Undersecretary, or Assistant Undersecretaries those in respect of whom a Federal Decree has previously been issued appointing them as Ambassador.
2. Appointment of Assistant Ministers and the Undersecretary in cases other than those referred to in Clause (1) of this Article shall be effected by the Federal Decree upon the proposal of the Minister.
3. Assistant Undersecretaries shall be appointed by the decision of the Cabinet upon the proposal of the Minister.
4. The Minister may reassign any person previously appointed by decision or Federal Decree as Assistant Minister, Undersecretary, or Assistant Undersecretary, as the case may be.
 

1. The Minister may appoint, on a permanent or temporary basis, advisers and technical experts to provide advice on matters in which they deem it appropriate to seek their opinion. Such persons shall be selected from among those recognized for their expertise in the relevant field.
2. In all cases, appointment shall be against a comprehensive or lump-sum remuneration, determined by decision of the Minister and pursuant to a special employment contract concluded by the Ministry specifying the contractual terms.
 

1. The Minister shall issue the decisions and instructions necessary for regulating and ensuring the proper performance of work within the organizational units of the General Diwan and the Representative Missions, and for distributing competences among them.
2. The Minister may issue a decision to form one or more committees to undertake investigation or inspection functions concerning the organizational units of the General Diwan and the Representative Missions.
 

By decision of the Minister, additional allowances may be granted to Ministry personnel due to working conditions, their circumstances or nature, or to meet any special burdens, in accordance with the conditions and amounts specified in the Executive Regulations of this Law and within the limits of the approved budget.

1. Without prejudice to the official working hours within the State, the Minister shall determine by decision the weekly working days and hours for the General Diwan, branch offices, and Representative Missions, including remote work, provided that the regulations of the host State shall be observed when determining working hours for Representative Missions.
2. The Ministry may implement a shift system for all or certain positions or organizational units, as required by operational conditions and needs, provided that total working hours shall not exceed (48) forty-eight hours per week.
 

In accordance with Federal Law No. (5) of 2016 referred to herein, the Minister may propose or grant the following:
1. Orders to nationals and foreigners. 
2. Medals and insignia.
and determine the cases in which the wearing of foreign orders and insignia is permitted.
 

1. The Minister shall issue the Executive Regulations of this Law within (6) six months from the date of its entry into force, comprising all rules and systems necessary for the implementation of its provisions.
2. The Ministry may, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, amend and update financial procedures in accordance with its operational requirements and submit the same to the Cabinet for approval.
 

1. The decisions, regulations, and systems implementing Federal Law No. (11) of 2018, as amended, shall remain in force until amended, repealed, or until the issuance of systems, regulations, or decisions superseding them.
2. All payments disbursed to Ministry personnel pursuant to decisions issued by the Minister shall be deemed valid, within the limits of the approved Ministry budget, until the date of entry into force of this Law.
 

1. Federal Law No. (11) of 2018 Regarding the Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as amended, is hereby repealed.
2. Any provision that contradicts or conflicts with the provisions of this Law is hereby repealed.
 

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force on the day following the date of its publication.