UAE creates ministry of happiness, tolerance

Dubai, Feb 11  United Arab Emirates Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum announced on Wednesday the new Cabinet appointments, with two new portfolios on happiness and tolerance.

Sheikh Mohammed made the announcement on his Twitter account, two days after he revealed plans to restructure the UAE Cabinet and to outsource most government services to the private sector.

Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al-Qasimi, so far minister of international cooperation and development, was appointed minister of state for tolerance, a newly created government function.

Najla Mohammed Al Awar was appointed minister of community development and Thani Al Zeyoudi, 32, as minister of climate change and environment.

Mohammad Al-Bawadi was appointed secretary of state for defence affairs. Jamila Salem Al Muhairi will be minister of state for public education.

Ahmed Belhoul, a university professor, was named as minister of state for higher education and Ohoud Al-Roumi as minister of state for happiness, a newly created function to improve people's satisfaction in the UAE.

Shamma Al-Mazrouei, 22, will be the youngest member of the UAE cabinet. She will be UAE state minister of youth affairs.

Noura Al Kaabi was appointed minister of state for the affairs of the Federal National Council (FNC), the UAE parliament that has a monitoring and consultative function for government affairs.

The new UAE Cabinet will consist of 29 ministers and ministers of state.