The Supreme Legislation Committee (SLC) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Financial Audit Department (FAD), the supreme audit institution of Dubai, to help reinforce cooperative ties in the aspect of controlling government agencies commitment towards implementing legislation across the emiratethereby ensuring the promotion of a legislative system that supports the emirates efforts towards sustainable development.

The agreement was signed by H.E. Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Ghobash, Director-General of FAD and H.E. Ahmad Bin Meshar, Secretary General of SLC. Both parties have confirmed the use of available resources to upgrade and improve the local legislative system; placing strong focus on the move to raise the level of commitment of government entities via the proper implementation of legislation to serve the goals of Dubai Plan 2021.

Under the terms of the MoU, both parties agreed to organize training courses, facilitate the channels in transferring knowledge, exchange of information, experience and best practices in the field of controlling the existing legislation and to ascertain the extent of commitment of government entities to the provisions of these legislation. The MoU involves the preparation of studies and statistics to assess the government entities commitment to applying the legislation in Dubai, with the help of highly trained and knowledgeable experts and advisers from both the SLC and FAD, in order to ensure the full compliance within the proper legal application of legislation to support the efforts of developing legislative process and achieving the objectives of the strategic plans of Dubai.

In line with the cooperation between the two parties, H.E. Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Ghobash, Director General of the FAD, stressed on the importance of the FADs role, under Law No. (8) of 2010 and its amendments, in controlling the financial transactions conducted by the entities audited by it to verify the validity of these transactions. Ghobash added that the outcome of the audit of financial transactions detects cases of non-compliance by certain entities audited by the FAD with the legislation in force. Under the MoU, the FAD will provide the SLC with information and data on the compliance of government entities with the legislation in force in the emirate. Moreover, the FAD will, in coordination with SLC, consider the reasons behind such non-compliance and propose appropriate solutions. This will ensure that legislation achieves its objectives in a manner that serves the public interest of Dubai in accordance with Dubai Plan 2021.

Meanwhile, Bin Meshar pointed out the importance of the strategic partnership with FAD as it provides a general framework for mutual cooperation in the field of controlling the governmental entities commitment to implement the legislation in force in Dubai, based on the principle of complementing roles to help achieve the goals of Dubai Plan 2021. He stressed that the new cooperation complements the efforts of the SLC aimed at developing the legislative process--to ensure the achievement of the objective and realistic conditions for leading legislation that simulates reality and outlooks the future, in line with the wise guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

We look forward towards the consolidation of the bridges of fruitful cooperation with the Financial Audit Department to promote the optimal application of legislation by following up the correct application of the legislation in force by government entities and verifying that the actions and decisions taken by them are in compliance with the provisions of the legislation. We will be employing all available resources that we have in order to reflect the common aspirations needed in improving and raising the quality and efficiency of legislationwhich will result in the development of a legal system that complements the foreseen positive outlook of Dubai and ensures the integrity and compatibility of its provisions with the constitution and federal and local legislation. We are confident that our efforts will yield positive results in terms of advancing the development of the legislative process, ensuring the optimal application of legislation and promoting accountability and transparency across all levels of Dubai Government, concluded Bin Meshar.