Dubai's Crown Prince Reorganizes Government

By DANIA SAADI

DUBAI--Dubai's crown prince announced a reorganization at the top of the sheikdom's government designed to streamline clunky

Sheik Hamdan, who is also chairman of Dubai's Executive Council, hopes the new structure will help "bolster the process of decision making within the different government sectors in Dubai," according to the emailed statement.

His father and Dubai's ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has ordered a slew of decrees aimed at rectifying the emirate's battered image and boosting transparency after the sheikdom roiled investors on Nov. 25 when it announced plans to seek a freeze on $26 billion of debt held by flagship government conglomerate Dubai World.

The economic development committee will be headed by Ahmad bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the head of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and the security and justice committee will be headed by Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, the statement said.

The social development body will fall under Mohammed Al Mari, head of Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Department, and the infrastructure and environment committee will be headed by Saeed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, the statement said. The health and safety portfolio will be headed by Hussain Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality.

Combined, the officials represent a core inner-circle of trusted officials who already have strong links with the ruling Al Maktoum family.

Earlier this month Sheik Mohammed merged the emirate's media offices into one entity in a bid to help spruce up the image of the second-largest city in the seven-member United Arab Emirates, which is grappling with more than $80 billion of debt.

The moves Thursday follow a Dubai government announcement earlier this week saying that the $10 billion bailout from oil-rich Abu Dhabi, which helped it narrowly avoid a default in December, is half the size that the government initially said. decision making that's been blamed for adding to its economic problems.

In an unusual statement from the young prince Thursday, Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum said five new committees have been set up within the government's top executive body to look at economic development; security and justice; social development; infrastructure and environment; and health and safety.
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