US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1284

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP 
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FSI FOR OLIVER JOHN 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, PREL, ECON, EAID, KPAL, KWMN, KDEM, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN MAY BE ELECTED TO THE CHAMBERS OF 
COMMERCE BOARD; IS THE FNC NEXT? 
 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: IN WHAT COULD BE A FIRST STEP 
TO WOMEN IN THE UAE'S PARLIAMENTARY FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL 
(FNC), THE ABU DHABI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE HAVE PROPOSED 
ELECTING BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL- 
LEVEL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.  THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UAE 
FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SAEED SAIF BIN JABR AL- 
SUWEIDI ON MARCH 10 PUBLICLY CALLED FOR THE ELECTION OF TWO 
BUSINESSWOMEN TO THE BOARD OF EACH EMIRATE'S CHAMBERS OF 
COMMERCE, AND A WOMAN FROM EACH EMIRATE TO SERVE ON THE 
BOARD OF THE FEDERAL CHAMBER.  THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE 
HERE, WHILE QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL IN NATURE, NEVERTHELESS ARE 
POWERFUL ORGANIZATIONS OF INFLUENTIAL BUSINESSPEOPLE, AND 
ARE AMONG THE FEW EXAMPLES OF MEANINGFUL POLITICAL 
PARTICIPATION IN THE UAE.  WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS EFFORT 
TO PROMOTE BUSINESSWOMEN INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE 
CHAMBERS IS A PRELUDE TO ANOTHER PUSH FOR FEMALE 
REPRESENTATION IN THE HERETOFORE ALL-MALE FNC.  END SUMMARY 
AND COMMENT. 
 
2.  (U) THE BOARD OF THE FEDERATION CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE 
WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF FEMALE REPRESENTATIVES AT ITS NEXT 
MEETING IN APRIL.  IF THE BOARD MEMBERS ACCEPT AL-SUWEIDI'S 
PROPOSAL, BUSINESSWOMEN COULD ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES 
IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER.  THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF 
BUSINESSWOMEN WITHIN EACH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WOULD ELECT 
THE WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES FOR BOTH THE EMIRATE-LEVEL, AND 
FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBER BOARDS. 
 
3.  (U) UAE FIRST LADY SHAYKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK, 
PRINCIPAL WIFE OF PRESIDENT ZAYID AND VOCAL WOMEN'S RIGHTS 
ADVOCATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS STILL DEEPLY CONSERVATIVE 
SOCIETY, REPORTEDLY PROPOSED THE IDEA TO ALLOCATE SEATS FOR 
BUSINESSWOMEN AT THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL-LEVEL CHAMBERS. 
SHAYKHA FATIMA IS ALSO THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE 
BUSINESSWOMEN'S COMMITTEE IN ABU DHABI.  SHE RECENTLY 
SPONSORED THE CREATION OF "KNOWLEDGE GARDEN," A FUND 
ESTABLISHED IN ABU DHABI TO HELP BUSINESSWOMEN ACQUIRE 
INFORMATION ON EDUCATION/TRAINING AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT 
OPPORTUNITIES. 
 
4.  (SBU) FOLLOWING A SIMILAR TRIP TO FRANCE LAST YEAR, THE 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BUSINESSWOMEN'S COUNCIL OF ABU 
DHABI CURRENTLY IS VISITING SWITZERLAND TO MEET SWISS 
BUSINESSWOMEN AND TOUR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THERE.  THE 
ABU DHABI BUSINESSWOMEN WILL HOST THE FIRST ARAB 
BUSINESSWOMEN'S FORUM IN APRIL, UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE 
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ARE EXPECTED TO INVITE A NUMBER OF 
TOP U.S. WOMEN EXECUTIVES TO ATTEND. 
 
WAHBA