Local Administration Administrative Systems in Arabic Countries of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and UAE

IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies
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Local Adminis a ion Adminis a i e Sys ems in A abic Coun ies o Jo dan, Saudi A abia,
I an, I aq and UAE
Tyodze Pa ick PILLAH*
Depa men o Public Adminis a ion, Facul y o Managemen Sciences, Ve i as Uni e si y Abuja
Co esponding Au ho Tyodze
Pa ick PILLAH
Depa men o Public
Adminis a ion, Facul y o
Managemen Sciences, Ve i as
Uni e si y Abuja
[email p o ec ed]
8036275160
A icle His o y
Recei ed: 12 / 09 / 2025
Accep ed: 01 / 10 / 2025
Published: 07 / 10 /2025
Abs ac : In o de o assess he le el o challenges acing Local Adminis a ion Uni s (LAUs) in
Jo dan, Saudi A abia, I an, I aq, and he Uni ed A ab Emi a es, his s udy will examine he
a i udes and pe spec i es o 400 andomly selec ed heads and employees o local uni s, mayo s
and employees o municipali ies, and leade s o p o incial depa men s. Finding impo an and
success ul e o m s a egies o add ess such issues is one o he s udy's speci ic goals.
Quali a i e me hods we e used in his in es iga ion. Thi y people in all we e pu pose ully
selec ed o in-dep h, in-pe son consul a ions, wi h a ocus on de e mining he main e o m
ini ia i es ha wo ked. Acco ding o he s udy's indings, Jo dan's local go e nmen aces
signi ican challenges ela ed o capaci y building, iscal issues, en i onmen al p o ec ion
esponsi eness, and public engagemen . Acco ding o he su ey, ano he signi ican obs acle is
he lack o inance and he au onomy o local uni s in o e seeing esiden unding. Building
capaci y accoun ed o he inal challenge. The mos impo an e o m measu es ha mus be
aken o add ess he issues acing LAUs a e he s eng hening o employee aining and
de elopmen , he abandonmen o cen al p e-checking amewo ks, he c ea ion o an e icien
mechanism o b idge he ela ionship be ween municipali ies and ci izens, he imp o emen o an
en i onmen al con ol amewo k o educe pollu ion, and inc eased go e nmen budge a y
suppo .
Keywo ds: local adminis a ion, municipali ies, local go e nmen uni s, Jo dan, Saudi A abia,
I an, I aq and uni ed A abia emi a e.
How o Ci e in APA o ma : PILLAH, T. P. (2025). Local Adminis a ion Adminis a i e Sys ems in A abic Coun ies o Jo dan,
Saudi A abia, I an, I aq and UAE. IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies, 2(10)78-109.
In oduc ion
One example o a decen alized adminis a ion is local
go e nmen . Jo dan Because Saudi A abia, I an, I aq, and he
Uni ed A ab Emi a es ha e a e y leng hy his o y o de olu ion,
hei esiden s ely on local ins i u ions, such as municipali ies and
councils, o p o ide hem wi h necessa y se ices ha he cen al
go e nmen is unable o p o ide di ec ly. In e es in local
go e nance has g own du ing he pas 10 yea s. This conce n was
abou allowing he p i a e sec o o pa icipa e in a mo e
subs an ial g ow h esponsibili y, changing he ole o he s a e,
and expanding public pa icipa ion in he go e ning p ocess. The
Wo ld Bank's da a on socie al ad ancemen in a a ie y o ields,
such as decen aliza ion and go e nmen e hinking and
inno a ion, also e lec s his conce n. The local go e nmen hus
plays a c ucial pa in na ional de elopmen and is in ol ed in a
key posi ion inside he go e ning amewo k (Yaghi, 2008).
In o de o ca y ou a a ie y o poli ical, manage ial, and
social du ies, local adminis a ion uni s (LAUs) a e c ucial. I
o e s esiden s a a ie y o se ices essen ial o he popula ion's
high s anda d o li ing and p ospe i y. I se es as a condui
be ween he gene al public and he ede al go e nmen .
Acco dingly, hey a e g an ed an ins i u ional amewo k, law ul
cha ac e , and a ce ain amoun o budge a y and adminis a i e
independence (Al Kayed, 1999). Go e no a e councils,
municipali ies, and local councils a e he auxilia y le els ha ha e
o med Jo dan's LAUs since he decen aliza ion Law No. 49 o
2015 and he Municipali ies Law No. 41 o 2015 we e announced.
Wi h he excep ion o he Go e no a e Council, whe e 15% o he
councilo s a e appoin ed by he cen al go e nmen , each o hese
local go e nmen le els has an elec ed chai man and council
membe s.
Nume ous s udies we e ca ied ou by in e na ional
o ganiza ions; o ins ance, he Wo ld Bank, wo king wi h he
Uni ed Na ions De elopmen P og am, has explained ha local
go e nmen s ha e a numbe o challenges, such as adminis a i e,
inancial, and echnological issues (UN, 2007; Wang and Be man,
2000). In addi ion, a g oup o esea che s disco e ed ha LAUs
ace nume ous challenges ela ed o echnical p o iciency, inancial
managemen , esiden needs esponsi eness, capaci y building, and
en i onmen al p ese a ion (Kauneckis and Ande son, 2006;
Nicholl, 2006).
In Jo dan, a ious LAU le els deal wi h a numbe o
challenges ha collec i ely make i di icul o hem o ca y ou
hei obliga ions. Employees a LAUs complain abou
ine ec i eness and excessi e HR ha goes beyond hei ac ual
demands. The li e a u e on local adminis a ion emphasized he
alue o g ow h and e icacy in local uni s (Taamneh, 2019).
Al hough he inancial ci cums ances o local go e nmen uni s
a y, mos eams s uggle wi h a sho age o cash, which p e en s
hem om ca ying ou de elopmen plans o imp o emen
p ojec s.
Addi ionally, (LAUs) expe iences manage ial and inancial
ou ine p ac ice in hei dealings and ela ions wi h cen al
go e nmen ; his ep esen s a se e e p oblem o i s abili y o
espond o ci izens' needs. The apidly g owing popula ion and he
e ugee wa es om Pales ine and Sy ia ha e placed addi ional
IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025): 78-109
Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
79
bu dens (LAUs). This has add essed wa e sho age, housing,
pollu ion, and heal h and educa ion (Jabe and P obe , 2001;
Alnsou , 2014).
I appea s ha he e is a poli ical insis ence o e o m
(LAUs) in Jo dan. This is e lec ed in his Majes y he King in his
speech be o e he pa liamen in Feb ua y 2018: "ci izens mus be
engaged wi h he decision-making p ocess and enhance his ole in
public pa icipa ion."
The e o o de e mine he di icul ies aced by LAUs in
Jo dan and o e e o m s a egies is wha gi es his s udy i s
signi icance. Addi ionally, he s udy's e o s o inco po a e local
leade s' pa icipa ion in he c ea ion o he equi ed e o m
s a egies gi e i mo e signi icance.
Iden i ying he majo challenges and p oblems acing
LAUs in Jo dan as well as he e o m s a egies sugges ed o he
decision-make s we e he goals o his s udy.
S a emen o he P oblem
The ame s o he Cons i u ional policies on local
go e nmen adminis a i e sys em, speci ically ega ding sec ional
coun ies like he A abian na ion-s a e, con empla e g ass oo s
de elopmen and ans o ma ion wi h Local go e nmen as he
hi d ie o go e nmen and close o he people. Se e al a emp s
o es uc u e he local go e nmen sys em o make i mo e iable
and e icien ha e las ed o e ou decades, wi h miles one
achie emen s eco ded in he no o ious 1976 e o ms. Since hen,
de elopmen in all ami ica ions is s ill a om eali y, as he
condi ion o u al dwelle s has become pi iable and in ole able.
Fu he mo e, he dea h o de elopmen a he g ass oo s le el is
no unconnec ed wi h how he cons i u ion p o ided o
es ablishing, inancing, s uc u ing, and main aining local
go e nmen , as cap u ed in hei cons i u ional d a as amended.
The S a e has cons an ly abused he p o ision o ha sec ion,
culmina ing in he inancial s a a ion o local go e nmen h ough
he ins umen ali y o he Join Local Go e nmen S a e Accoun .
The esul is he impo e ishmen o u al dwelle s and a colossal
dea h o de elopmen a he g ass oo s and, by ex ension. I is his
lugub ious and exa ious bu pi iable scena io ha p opels he
s udy o e e se he ugly end h ough app op ia e
ecommenda ions; hence, pu A abian s a e on he pa o
de elopmen al compa ison.
Objec i es o he S udy
The s udy's gene al objec i e is o x- ay he legal basis o
he local go e nmen sys em in A abian coun ies and i s e ec on
he de elopmen ini ia i e. Speci ically, he pape seeks o:
Exposing he dange inhe en in he p o ision o sec ional
amendmean o hei cons i u ions. In a ela ed ein, he pape also
seeks o unde sco e in speci ic e ms how he e oding o local
go e nmen au onomy has a ec ed he ques o de elopmen and
inally, he s udy seeks o unde line ca ego ically he p oblems o
he local Go e nmen sys em in A abian coun ies among o he s.
Ope a ional De ini ion/cla i ica ion o Te ms:
Local Go e nmen :
Is a uni o adminis a ion wi h de ined e i o y, powe s,
and adminis a i e au ho i y wi h ela i e au onomy, and
adminis a i e au ho i y can be elec ed o appoin ed exclusi ely by
he people (Ojong, 2002). I is a local-le el go e nmen ha
ope a es h ough a legally es ablished ep esen a i e council, which
exe cises speci ic powe s wi hin designa ed a eas (Ga ba e al.,
2018). Local go e nmen is a legally es ablished poli ical
subdi ision o a na ion ha possesses conside able au ho i y o e
local ma e s, including he powe o le y axes and manda e labo
o designa ed pu poses. The go e ning body o his en i y is ei he
elec ed o locally appoin ed (Adedi e, 2016).
Adminis a i e Sys em:
Local go e nmen adminis a i e sys ems a e he s uc u es
and p ocesses h ough which local communi ies a e go e ned. In
Nige ia, local go e nmen s a e ecognized as he hi d ie o
go e nmen , wi h he aim o b inging go e nance close o he
people a he g ass oo s le el. They a e designed o p o ide
essen ial se ices and add ess he speci ic needs o hei
communi ies.
G ass oo Pa icipa ion:
G ass oo s pa icipa ion e e s o he in ol emen o
o dina y ci izens in decision-making p ocesses, pa icula ly a he
local o communi y le el. I 's abou empowe ing people o ha e a
say in issues ha di ec ly a ec hei li es and communi ies,
os e ing a sense o owne ship and esponsibili y. This can ange
om pa icipa ing in local go e nmen , communi y p ojec s, o
social mo emen s.
Re iew o Rela ed Li e a u e
Concep ual Cla i ica ion:
In oduc ion
The illage headman o ibe chie is he lowes le el o
local adminis a ion in p ehis o ic socie ies. Local go e nmen s in
con empo a y coun ies ypically possess some o he same
au ho i y as na ional go e nmen s. They ypically ha e some
abili y o inc ease e enue, howe e his may be es ic ed by
na ional laws. One o he mos impo an issues in public
adminis a ion and go e nance is he subjec o municipal
au onomy, o wha powe s he local go e nmen has o ough o
ha e. Coun ies ha e e y di e en local go e nmen s uc u es,
and e en in hose wi h compa able se ups, nomencla u e equen ly
di e s. The e ms s a e, p e ec u e, dis ic , ci y, municipali y,
shi e, and so on a e equen ly used o e e o local go e nmen
en i ies. None heless, all o hese e ms a e equen ly used
colloquially in a ious na ions, and local go e nmen is he o icial
b anch o he ede al go e nmen .
Concep o Local Go e nmen :
Local go e nmen is de ined di e en ly by many
academics. This is due o di e en iewpoin s abou he ue
unc ion o local go e nmen , which a y depending on he se ing.
On he o he hand, local go e nmen can be desc ibed as local
go e nmen ca ied ou by ep esen a i e councils c ea ed by law
o exe cise pa icula au ho i ies wi hin designa ed egions (Local
Go e nmen Re o m Handbook, 1992).
"Le el o go e nmen exe cised h ough ep esen a i e
councils, es ablished by law o exe cise geog aphical a ea wi h
common social and poli ical ies" is how Oni (1993) de ines local
go e nmen . These powe s should gi e he council subs an ial
con ol o e local 28 a ai s as well as he s a , and ins i u ional
and inancial powe s o ini ia e and di ec he p o ision o se ices
IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025): 78-109
Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
80
and o de e mine and implemen p ojec s so as o complemen he
ac i i ies o he s a e and ede al go e nmen s in hei a eas.
Local go e nmen sys em can be de ined as:
Rep esen a i e councils c ea ed by law o exe cise
pa icula unc ions wi hin a designa ed a ea se e as he local
go e nmen 's ehicle. In o de o gua an ee ha local ini ia i e and
esponse o local needs and condi ions a e maximized h ough he
de olu ion o unc ions o hese councils and h ough he ac i e
pa icipa ion o he people and hei adi ional ins i u ions, hese
powe s should g an he council signi ican con ol o e local
a ai s as well as he s a , ins i u ional, and inancial powe s o
ini ia e and di ec he p o ision o se ices and o de e mine and
implemen p ojec s. (Awa 2006:96) These de ini ions s em om
he Uni ed Na ions O ice o Public Adminis a ion's de ini ion o
local go e nmen , which is as ollows: A poli ical di ision o a
na ion o (in ede al sys em), s a e, which is cons i u ed by law and
has subs an ial con ol o local a ai s, including he powe s o
impose axes o o exac labou o p esc ibed pu pose(UN Repo ,
1960:3). The go e ning body o such an en y is 29 elec ed o
o he wise locally selec ed. (Quo ed in Ola, 1984:7).
The common denomina o in hese de ini ions is ha local
go e nmen is ha local go e nmen is a subo dina e sys em o
go e nmen and has he au ho i y o unde ake public ac i i ies.
(Eneanya, 2012:15). This au ho i y has s uc u es and unc ions,
collec s e enue, expe iences some challenges and is con olled by
cen al au ho i y. These de ini ions a e encompassing and mos
widely accep ed and ha e heo e ical implica ions. F om he
de ini ions, ce ain cha ac e is ics o local go e nmen s and ou .
Local go e nmen is o dina ily unde s ood as he
adminis a ion o locali y, a illage, a own, a ci y o any o he a ea
smalle han he s a e by a body ep esen ing he local inhabi an s,
possessing a ai ly la ge amoun o au onomy, aising a leas a pa
o i s e enue h ough local axa ion and spending i s income on
se ices which a e ega ded as local and he e o e as dis inc om
s a e and cen al se ices.
Acco ding o 1976 guidelines o local go e nmen e o m,
local go e nmen is go e nmen a local le el exe cised h ough
ep esen a i e councils es ablished by law o exe cise speci ic
powe s wi hin de ined a eas. Theses powe s should gi e he
council subs an ial con ol o e local a ai s as well as he s a and
ins i u ional and inancial powe s o ini ia e and di ec he
p o ision o se ices and o de e mine ac i i ies o he s a e and
ede al go e nmen s in hei a eas and o ensu e h ough
de olu ion o unc ions o he councils and h ough ac i e
pa icipa ion o he people and adi ional ins i u ions ha local
ini ia i e and esponse o local needs and condi ions a e
maximized.
The Uni ed Na ions o ice o Public Adminis a ion also
e e s o local go e nmen as a poli ical subdi ision o a na ion o
in a ede al sys em, s a e, which is cons i u ed by law and has
subs an ial con ol o local a ai s, including he powe s o impose
axes o o exac labou o p esc ibed pu poses. The go e ning
body o such an en i y is elec ed o o he wise locally selec ed.
Bello-Imam (2007) concei es ha local go e nmen is
qui e di e en om local adminis a ion. He he e o e desc ibes
local go e nmen as a uni o adminis a ion wi h de ined e i o y,
powe s and adminis a i e au ho i y wi h ela i e au ho i y which
adminis a i e au ho i y could be elec ed o appoin ed exclusi ely
by he people. Bu he sees local adminis a ion as usually
cons i u ing local he adminis a ion o local communi ies by
u ilizing local agen s appoin ed by and esponsible o an ex e nal
agen , which could be a s a e, egional o p o incial au ho i y o
na ional go e nmen . Abo isade (2006) holds he opinion ha he
easons o c ea ing local go e nmen s a e iden ical o ha o he
s a es in e ms o agi a ion, wan , need and e hnic p ide and no
necessa ily based on he abili y o gene a e und o su i al excep
pe haps Lagos and Kano s a es whe e local go e nmen s a e iable
because o he na u e o hei economy. He he e o e accoun s o
he c ea ion o local go e nmen s in Nige ia om 301 in 1976 o
449 in 1989 o 589 in 1991 and o 774 in 1996.
Ro hchid (1994) highligh s he h ee essen ial
cha ac e is ics o local go e nmen as a se o local au ho i ies o
ins i u ions wi h a sepa a e au onomy and a legal s a us dis inc
om ha o he cen al go e nmen . Also, as he powe o he
au onomous local ins i u ions o aise hei own e enue and spend
i on he discha ge o hei unc ions as assigned o hem by he
laws and as he powe o he local ins i u ions o make decisions as
esponsible o gans in hei own igh and no as an ex ension o he
cen al adminis a ion.
Gboyega 1987 posi s ou epochs in he de elopmen o
local go e nmen in Nige ia. The i s epoch, acco ding o him,
spanned he incep ion o colonial ule up ill he ea ly 1950s when
he Na u e Au ho i y Sys em was ejec ed in bo h he Eas e n and
Wes e n Regions. Howe e , he local go e nmen e o ms in he
Eas e n Region in 1951 and he Wes e n Region in 1952 ma ked
he beginning o ano he epoch in he his o y o local go e nmen
in Nige ia.
The mili a y coup o 1966 e mina ed he second phase o
local go e nmen sys em and ma ked he s a o a new epoch in
he his o y o local go e nmen . The ou h epoch o local
go e nmen sys em in Nige ia acco ding o him came wi h he
1976 local go e nmen e o ms, which ha e su i ed and seem
des ined o ma k a majo landma k in he de elopmen o local
go e nmen in Nige ia.
Bello-Imam (2007) goes u he o desc ibe he ea u es o
local go e nmen e o ms in Nige ia a e 1976. He desc ibes 1988
e o m as sweeping e o m which p o ided oppo uni y o he
ci izen y o pa icipa e mo e in local go e nmen adminis a ion.
To him, 1988 e o ms cen ed on he local go e nmen au onomy
in Nige ia, when local go e nmen s ha e di ec sha e o he
ede a ion accoun and no longe h ough he s a e. Acco ding o
him, he 1991 e o m was in e nal s uc u e e o m which ex ended
p esiden ialism o he local go e nmen sys em in Nige ia.
Dapun e al (2010) con inues wi h he e iew o local
go e nmen sys em in 1999 cons i u ion which p o ided o a
democ a ically elec ed local go e nmen council in sec ion 7 o he
cons i u ion.
The 2003 local go e nmen e o m add essed he
undamen al p oblems acing local go e nmen o e he yea s
which include high cos o elec ionee ing campaign, non
pe o mance o he local go e nmen and unding o he local
go e nmen s in Nige ia.
Oko oni (2006) classi ies he sou ces o local go e nmen
e enue in Nige ia in o wo; ex e nal and in e nal sou ces. The
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Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
81
ex e nal unds mainly consis o s a u o y alloca ion om he
ede al and s a e go e nmen s. This sou ce, acco ding o him,
o ms he bulk o local go e nmen inance in Nige ia. The in e nal
unds a e gene a ed h ough in e nally gene a ed e enue which a
local go e nmen gene a es h ough i s own e o . These include
axes, a es, le ies and ines collec ed locally. He he e o e poin s
ha he 1999 cons i u ion o he ede al epublic o Nige ia
p o ides many oppo uni ies o local go e nmen s o aise
easonable e enue ha could make hem o enjoy some measu e
o inancial independence.
Cha ac e isics o Local Go e nmen
 Almos all local go e nmen bodies sha e ce ain
cha ac e is ics:
 Tha local go e nmen is a subo dina e sys em o
go e nmen ;
 A con inuing o ganiza ion;
 The au ho i y o unde ake public ac i i ies;
 The abili y o en e in o con ac s;
 The igh o sue and be sued; and
 The abili y o collec axes; and
 Has he powe o make policies, p epa e budge s and
ha e a measu e o con ol o e i s own s a .
Reasons o Es ablishing Local Go e nmen
The ollowing a e he easons o es ablishing local go e nmen
(Eneanya,2012: 19-20):
 Local go e nmen p o ides he pla o m o people o
conduc hei own a ai s in line wi h local needs
aspi a ions, esou ces and cus oms which hey alone
unde s and be e han any ou side;
 P o ides amewo k o mobilizing and sus aining
popula zeal and ini ia i e in de elopmen ;
 Se es as a hedge agains o e -concen a ion o powe a
he cen e which o en leads o y anny;  I ac s as a
wo-way channel o communica ion be ween he local
popula ion and he cen al go e nmen .
 I agg ega es local in e es and ansmi s hese o he
cen e and also keeps he local popula ion in o med
abou cen al go e nmen policies and p og ammes;
 Local go e nmen se es as socio-economic labo a o y
o es ing new p oposals o go e nmen o ganiza ion
and sund economic policies; and
 Ac s as aining g ound o leade ship posi ions a he
na ional le el.
Concep ual F amewo k: Concep ual Discou se:
Local Go e nmen Adminis a i e Sys em In Jo dan
Local go e nmen sys em in Jo dan
 Coun y P o ile
 O icial Name o he S a e-Hashemi e Kingdom o
Jo dan
 Fo m o Go e nmen -Uni a y Pa liamen a y
 Cons i u iona- Mona chy
 O icial Language(s)-A abic
 Cu ency-Jo danian Dina
 A ea-89,342 km²
 To al Popula ion-10,171,480 (2018)
 U ban Popula ion Ra e 67.8% (2018)
 Capi al Ci y-Amman
 Popula ion o Capi al Ci y 1,275,857 (2018)
 Human De elopmen Index Ranking 95
 G oss Domes ic P oduc (pe capi a) $4,247
 Unemploymen Ra e 18.3% (2017)
 Po e y Ra e 13.3% (2018)
 Fo es A ea Ra e 1.1%
 CO Emission (me ic ons pe capi a) 3.00 (2017)
Laws and Regula ions on Local Go e nmen s
Wi h he ounding o he Hashemi e Kingdom o Jo dan, he idea
o local go e nance and a decen alized sys em was adop ed. The
O oman o dinance o 1877, which es ablished own councils in
signi ican agglome a ions like as Sal , Ajloun, Ka ak, and Ib id, is he
ea lies municipal s a u e in Jo danian e i o y. Th ee bylaws— he
go e no a es bylaw, he municipali y bylaw, and he illages'
managemen bylaw—make up he o m and con en o he laws
pe aining o he Jo danian local adminis a ion sys em. Howe e , he
go e no a es a e close o he cen al sys em han he decen alized one
because hey a e subsidia ies o he Minis y o he In e io . The
Municipal Council was ecognized as one o he local go e nmen
bodies in Jo dan unde Law No. 29 o 1955, also known as he
"Municipali ies Ac ," which ga e i he powe o possession, lawsui ,
and legal pe sonali y wi h inancial independence. La e , in addi ion o
se e al changes o elec ions and women's in ol emen , municipal law
no. 13 o 2011 es ablished he ole o municipali ies in de elopmen .
The Minis y o In e io was in cha ge o he legisla ion
es ablishing he local decen alized adminis a ion, which was made
public in 2014. In o de o ensu e a ai dis ibu ion o de elopmen
e u ns, his ac equi es ha he ci izens be se ed by de e mining he
goals o local communi ies h ough inc eased public engagemen .
Go e no s ha e he de elopmen al au ho i y o se e as he ice
p esiden o he Execu i e Council and he Gene al Sec e a ia o he
de elopmen uni s in he go e no a es, acco ding o he d a a icle o
he 2014 municipali ies' law.
Based on he a o emen ioned, Jo dan's local go e nance and
decen aliza ion sys em was de eloped wi h a o wa d- hinking ision and
a mechanism o ac ion based on he collabo a i e e o s o s akeholde s
om he public and p i a e sec o s o imp o e he quali y o li e o
ci izens on he one hand, and o c ea e a na ional dialogue o come o a
consensus on a sha ed ision o a decen alized sys em o adminis a ion
and o esea ch he undamen als o c ea ing a local de elopmen
managemen s a egy on he o he .
The c ea ion o in eg a ed o ganiza ional s uc u es, de ining
oles o he a ious le els o he ins i u ions, holding egula local
elec ions, iden i ying an app op ia e inancing sys em, and pu ing in place
a inancial supe ision mechanism a e he mos no able pilla s
empowe men o he pa ne ships; de elopmen o he human esou ces
echnical suppo ; and inally p omo ing he p inciples o accoun abili y
and equal oppo uni ies.
S uc u e o Local Go e nmen s
Two sub-na ional sys em o local go e nance exis in Jo dan: 1) he
Go e no a e:
 Decen alized sys em o adminis a ion ac ing on behal o
he go e nmen ; 2)
 The Municipali y: a local ins i u ional sys em composed o
Municipali ies (93) and Join Se ice Councils (22). The s
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sys em e ec s he e i o ial di ision: he go e no a e
(Muha azah, 13), he Dis ic (Liwa, 51), he Sub-dis ic
(Cazas, 38) and he chie own.
 Fo he pu poses o o e all de elopmen , he kingdom was
di ided in o 12
Go e no a es, dis ibu ed as ollows:
 The no he n go e no a es: (I bid, Ma aq, Ajloun, Je ash), o
which he popula ion o 2013 has eached a (27.8%) o he
o al popula ion o he Kingdom, cons i u ing 32.6% o i s
o al geog aphical a ea.
 The cen al go e no a es: (The capi al, Balqa, Za qa,
Madaba), o which he popula ion has eached (4.1022
million) a (62.8%) o he o al popula ion o he
 Kingdom, cons i u ing (16.2%) o i s o al geog aphical a ea.
 The sou he n go e no a es: (Ka ak, Ma‘an, Ta leh, Aqaba), o
which he popula ion has eached (612,500) a (9.4%) o he
o al popula ion o he Kingdom, cons i u ing (51.2%) o i s
o al geog aphical a ea.
In e ms o opog aphy, clima e, en i onmen , popula ion, na u al
esou ces, and i s economic ounda ion, e e y go e no a e has unique
ea u es. This di ision was pa o he go e nmen 's plan o expand and
enhance he u ban cen e s sca e ed h oughou each go e no a e in o de
o achie e u ban, en i onmen al, and de elopmen al balance.
In he second sys em, ou ca ego ies o municipali ies exis :
 Cen e o he go e no a es and ci ies wi h mo e han
100,000 inhabi an s;
 Cen e s o Dis ic s and ci ies wi h popula ion mo e han
15,000 inhabi an s;
 Cen e s o Sub-dis ic s and ci ies wi h popula ion
be ween 5,000 and 15,000;
All o he municipali ies below 5,000 inhabi an s. Howe e , and by
ecen law amendmen , he go e nmen can subdi ide he communal
e i o ies in o zones o me ge zones in o one communal e i o y,
mo i a ed by a poli ical demog aphic conce n.
Wi h ega d, o he municipali ies and since No embe 2011, Jo dan
now has 93 municipali ies; some a eas we e a o ed, while o he s
we e no such as he pe iphe al municipali ies; ha ‘s why he e is a
need o a decen alized sys em o se ice p o ision wi hin
municipali ies. Hence, he e a e ou ca ego ies o municipali ies:
 Ca ego y 1: Those ha a e go e no a e cen e s (ele en
plus he municipali y o G ea e Amman;
 Ca ego y 2: Those ha a e dis ic cen e s o whose
popula ion exceeds 15,000 inhabi an s;
 Ca ego y 3: he cen e s, o a popula ion o be ween 5,000
and 15,000 and;
 Ca ego y 4: all o he municipali ies. Municipali ies in he
hi d and ou h ca ego ies saw hei numbe educed om
63% o 13% o municipali ies in 2001, while he la ge
municipali ies in ca ego ies 1 and 2 wen om 9.5% o
54.4% o he o al. Be ween 2007 and 2011, he
Municipali y o G ea e Amman doubled i s a ea by
in eg a ing six municipali ies o he sou h o i s
agglome a ion.
F om 1955 o 2001, Jo dan had ‗ illage councils‘ se up unde Law
No. 5 o 1954 o adminis e any ibal locali y o illage o less han
2,500 inhabi an s.
They had e y limi ed esou ces. The go e no appoin ed he illage
council p esiden s and all hei membe s (be ween h ee and ele en)
and app o ed all hei decisions.
The la e laye o he local go e nance is he Municipal Join
Se ice Councils (JSC), hey a e municipal se ices ha in ol e
se e al municipali ies and ha e been c ea ed by Regula ion No. 17
o 1983, in acco dance wi h Clause 41 o he Municipal Ac o
1955. They allow se e al municipali ies o manage oge he ce ain
se ices, and in pa icula he collec ion o household was e, o
make economies o scale. They we e 44 in 2001, bu hei numbe
was educed o 21 a e he me ge p ocess, bu no dismissals we e
he employees we e di ided among he JSCs.
Cen al, Regional and Local Go e nmen s: In e ela ions and
Responsibili ies
Local go e nmen sys em in Jo dan is highly cen alized; he
cen al le el consis s o he King as he head o S a e and his Cabine
o Minis ies led by an appoin ed P ime Minis e . The Minis y o
In e io (MoI) is he main au ho i y esponsible o he local
go e nmen s in Jo dan while he municipali ies all unde he
au ho i y o he Minis y o Municipal Affai s (MoMA). The MoI
supe ises all he bodies, se plans and budge s and appoin s
go e no s, mayo s and egional manage s. The 70 Local De elopmen
Uni s (LDU) ha used o be in eg a ed o he go e no a e‘s depa men
we e assimila ed wi h he Minis y o In e io , hough canceling a
good ool o planning a he go e no a e le el and s eng hening he
cen aliza ion o he au ho i ies.
The Minis y o Municipal Affai s (MoMA), c ea ed in 1965,
supe ises all he municipali ies as well as he Join Se ices Council.
This minis y appoin s a local di ec o a he municipal le els whose
main ask is o ollow-up he day- o-day adminis a i e wo k and
municipali y managemen along wi h he appoin ed Mayo ; bu , a
p io app o al is o his minis y is always equi ed o any
unde aken ac i i y by he municipali y . As men ioned be o e, he
cen al go e nmen exe cises high powe s o e he local au ho i ies. I
can appoin a manage o o he pe sons o e he elec ed municipal
councilo s o join he municipal council wi h he same powe as he
elec ed ones.
A he egional le el, Jo dan is composed o 12 go e no a es
headed by a go e no who ac s as an ex ension o he cen al
go e nmen and a e accoun able o i . Go e no a es a e u he
subdi ided in o dis ic s (Liwa‘) and Sub-dis ic s (Qda‘), hey a e
di ec ly unde he di ec i es o he Minis y o In e io and ac locally
as execu i e body on behal on he Cabine Minis e s, whe eas mos
o municipali ies a e unde he di ec i es o he Minis y o Municipal
Affai s. This alloca ion o execu i e powe o e he local go e nmen
o en c ea es con ic be ween he conce ned minis ies.
The local le el consis s o 93 municipali ies and he G ea e
Amman Municipali y, hey ha e limi ed powe is-à- is he cen al
go e nmen and i s egional manage s. Municipali ies in Jo dan oday
a e dispossessed o any so o adminis a i e o poli ical au onomy,
making i he mos agile elemen in his cen alized poli ical sys em.
Thus he laws o 2007 and 2011 now assign 29 esponsibili ies, 26 o
which a e u ban se ices ha conce n he daily li e o he ci izens.
Aqaba and Amman a e desc ibed as ―ex a- e i o ial‖ zones.
These wo own a e independen om he Minis y o municipali y and
do no ollow adminis a i ely hei go e no a es. In Aqaba, a ci y wi h
120 000 inhabi an s, all he public se ices a e unde he Aqaba Special

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Economic Zone Au ho i y (ASEZA), he ci y is he sole po in Jo dan
and has a s a egic loca ion being on he on ie s o Saudi A abia,
Egyp and Is ael, he go e nmen made om Aqaba a conside able
pole o de elopmen bo h indus ial and ou is ic. On he o he hand,
Amman is unde he di ec supe ision o he Cabine o Minis e s.
Ano he ex a- e i o iali y zones a e he Pales inian camps, which a e
unde he di ec i e o he UNERWA. Two councils assis he
go e no , hey a e as ollows:
 The Execu i e Council: o med by he local manage s o
go e nmen al minis ies, especially hose conce ned wi h
public se ices;
 The Ad iso y Council: composed o 15 appoin ed membe s
by he Minis y o In e io on he ecommenda ion o he
go e no ; hese membe s a e local s akeholde s om he
ci il socie y, ade unions, p i a e sec o s
The Execu i e Council (Majlîss Tan hi) has no eal execu i e powe
when all he impo an decisions ela ed o planning and budge a e
always se a he cen al le el. I only ollows up he wo k o he local
minis e ial depa men s (Mudi ya-s) coo dina ing hei ac i i ies,
p og ams and plans. While he Ad iso y Council (Majlîss Ich i a‘i),
es ablished in o de o enhance local pa icipa ion, has he lonely ask
o ansmi p oposi ions o he Execu i e Council. The la e can ake
hese p oposi ions, mos o he ime ela ed o he annual budge , in o
conside a ion o no . Wha comp omises also his ole, he ac i is
unde he di ec i es o he go e no .
Mudi iya: is sec o ial uni wi hin he go e no a e
adminis a ion. Each Mudi iya is conce ned wi h one aspec o public
se ice and unde he au ho i y o he conce ned minis y.
Consequen ly, he cen al go e nmen can appoin a manage o e
he Ci y council whose p e oga i es can exceed hose o he mayo .
Mainly, he can assis , wi hou ha ing a o ing igh , all he sessions
o he municipal council, p epa e he agenda and ake pa o
delibe a ions. Also, he can execu e he decisions o his council,
p epa e he annual budge and p esen i o he p esiden as well as
collec ing and moni o ing he municipal e enues.
As o municipali ies, hey a e desc ibed as a ―ci il
ins i u ion‖ and a e managed by a municipal council composed o a
p esiden and council‘s membe s; hey a e he weakes ci cle in he
poli ico-adminis a i e sys em. The law a ibu es o hem
esponsibili ies in domains such as: u ban planning, cons uc ion,
main enance o wa e and sewe s ne wo ks, elec ici y, ma ke s and
shops, anspo , public squa es, e gh ing, disas e p e en ion and
elie , public heal h, spo s and cul u al ins i u ions, public secu i y,
publici y in public space, e c.
Finally, he Join Se ice Council is a s uc u e c ea ed o deli e
public se ices o a g oup o municipali ies and illages in o de o
achie e economies o scale, especially in he solid was e collec ion.
Also his kind o s uc u e exis s o zones wi h speci c
adminis a ion like he Pe a Region, he indus ial zone, andspecial
economic zone like Aqaba . The Minis y o Municipal Affai s
decides, and wi h he ecommenda ion o he go e no , o o m
hese councils. I can also dissol e his council o omi ce ain
municipali y om i . They enjoy a legal pe sonali y like he
municipali ies wi h ega d o common se ices and p ojec s. A e
he 2002 usion, 99 Municipali ies and 22 Join Se ices Councils
exis , he ope a ion wen wi hou any edundancy and he numbe s o
employees we e kep he same. Howe e , in 2007, Amman joined 6
municipali ies o i s ju isdic ion, dec easing he o al numbe o
municipali ies o 93.
The Municipal Council is he main elec ed body headed by he
Mayo . The go e nmen , acco ding o he size o he municipali ies,
xes he membe s o he municipal council. The e a e be ween 6 and
11 councilo s, ha ing an adminis a i e and supe ising ole ha a e
assigned o hem. The 2007 municipal law amendmen s ga e Amman,
he capi al, a special s a us. The council o e sees he municipali y
depa emen s and s aff o ensu e he app op ia e implemen a ion o
he esponsibili ies a ibu ed o hem by law. The council membe s
ha e a gene al local de elopmen manda e in addi ion o he 39
unc ions assigned o hem by law, e.g. cleaning, s ee ligh ing,
cons uc ion and main enance o oads, ma ke s, public pa ks,
lib a ies and own planning. The o he membe s who a e appoin ed
om he cen al go e nmen (manage o wo councilo s) can ac as
he elec ed ones wi h e en an ex ended powe o e he council o he
Mayo .
Rela ions be ween Cen al Go e nmen and Local Go e nmen s
The lack o powe is conside ed o be one o he challenges
municipali ies ace as a esul o he cen alized poli ical sys em.
The ole o he Ci y Council and he Mayo emains open o
in e en ion om he cen al adminis a ion especially on he
minis e ial le el. The go e no , an appoin ed gu e by he Minis y
o In e io , can un all he affai s o he mayo wi hou e en
consul ing wi h him. Addi ionally, mayo s need an app o al om
he go e no o any ac i i y hey wish o o ganize wi hin i s
ju isdic ion. Municipali ies a e no in ol ed o consul ed by he
agencies p o iding he se ices in u ban a eas, in pa icula wa e
and elec ici y . Fu he mo e, he Council o Minis e s has he powe
o modi y any municipal council‘s bounda y, me ging o di iding
municipali ies, also he Council can x he da e o he municipal
elec ions and se he limi s and he numbe o he elec ed
ep esen a i es.
Acco ding o he laws, municipali ies should unc ion au onomously
collec ing hei axes and managing hei se ices. Bu hey we e
g adually placed unde he con ol o he go e nmen ha mus
app o e all hei p ojec s and all hei expenses. This loss o
au onomy was jus i ed by he nancial c isis and lack o quali ed
s aff. Wha is mo e, is he absence o pa icipa o y local go e nance
o o ms o dialogue be ween he popula ion and he local
au ho i ies, because, e y ew municipali ies in o m hei popula ion
wi h upcoming p ojec s h ough public mee ing o newsle e s. In
2009, he Minis e o Planning launched, wi h he UNDP
consul a ion, a decen aliza ion ope a ion, gi ing mo e ole o
municipali ies in de eloping and planning hei locali ies.
Local Elec ions and Mayo s
A he go e no a e le el he e a e no elec ions, he King unde
he ecommenda ion o he P ime Minis e appoin s he go e no s.
They a e di ec ly ela ed o he Minis e o In e io who appoin s
mos o he go e no a e‘s main s aff and de e mines he go e no a e
budge . The membe s o he wo councils assis ing he go e no , he
execu i e and he ad iso y council a e di ec ly appoin ed om he
Minis e o In e io .
A he municipal le el and since 1989, e e y legisla i e o
municipal elec ion has been accompanied by a e o m o he
elec o al law, he aim o which is s o gua an ee ibal legisla i e
assemblies and hen o limi he ise o he Islamis opposi ion, in
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pa icula , a e he 1999 winning elec ions he Islamic Ac ion F on
called a he boyco o he municipal elec ions o 2003, 2007 and
2013.
Acco ding o he law, he mayo and he membe s o he municipal
council a e di ec ly elec ed by uni e sal o equad ennially. The
membe s o he municipal council a e xed by he go e nmen
acco ding o he size o he municipali ies, hey a e be ween 6 and
11, in addi ion o he mayo . I is unde he p e oga i es o he
Minis e o Municipali ies o pos pone he elec ions o o dissol e
he municipal councils (like on 1 Ma ch 2011) o an inde e mina e
pe iod o up o wo yea s.
The inhabi an s elec ed hei municipal councilo s, who hen o ed
o appoin he mayo . This p ocess las ed om 1955 o 1995. I was
only in 1982 ha a new municipal law ga e women he igh o o e
and s and o municipal elec ions and he age was educed om 21
o 19 o all ci izens (no only males) ha could o e and be elec ed.
In 1994, an amendmen o he municipal law was p omulga ed
acco ding o which o e s can di ec ly elec mayo s, excep o
Amman. The age was lowe ed o 18 yea s, widening he elec o al
base. In 1999, a e he Vic o y o he Islamis s in he municipal
elec ions o I bid, Za qa,
Russei a and Ta la, a new municipal law was p omulga ed in
2001 by which he king designa ed he mayo s o all he ci ies as
well as hal o he membe s o he municipal councils. An
amendmen o he elec o al law o municipali ies in 2007
es ablished a quo a o 20% o he sea s o women, nally p esen in
numbe s on he councils. Fo he elec ions o Augus 27, 2013, his
quo a was aised o 25% o he sea s (amendmen o he law o he
municipali ies o 2011). Mo eo e , all he mayo s and municipal
councils a e elec ed by di ec suff age, excep o he municipali y o
G ea e Amman whose mayo and 1/3 o he councilo s a e
appoin ed by he Council o Minis e s; besides, he Minis e o
Municipal Affai es may, wi h he app o al o he Council o
Minis e s, also appoin s wo membe s o each municipal council ha
ha e he same elec ed membe s‘ igh s.
Municipal elec ions ha we e supposed o be held in 2011
we e adjou ned o 27 Augus 2013, wi h he beginning o he
inciden s in some A ab coun ies, all elec ed mayo s we e hanked
and mayo s designa ed by he Council o Minis e s we e chosen. The
new municipal elec ions we e supposed o be held by he ime ha
his epo was in p epa a ion in Augus 2017.
Despi e he ecen legisla i e amendmen s o os e public
pa icipa ion and de elop local go e nance by ein o cing
go e no s‘ au ho i ies, hei capaci ies emain cons ain by he
cen al go e nmen decisions. Go e no s ‗coo dina e‘ he wo k o
go e nmen al depa men s and public se ices in he Go e no a es.
They ha e esponsibili y o app o ing he budge o 93
municipali ies, excep o Amman (which alls di ec ly unde he
ju isdic ion o he P ime Minis e ). Despi e, Go e no s ha e e y
li le au onomy and canno se axes o spend budge , hey can only
make decisions on p ojec s o less han JOD 100,000 (US$).
The Go e no , o his pa , is an employee o he Minis y o
In e io , such as he execu i e au ho i y and he head o public
adminis a ion in his go e no a e. He is appoin ed by he Council o
Minis e s in acco dance wi h a p oposal o he Minis e o In e io ,
a he end, Royal Dec ee shall accompany he decision. The main
asks o he go e no a e as ollow:
 Leads he o cial ins i u ions wi hin he go e no a e and
supe ise hei pe o mance;
 Coo dina es be ween he go e no a e, municipali ies as
well as he minis ies and o he public ins i u ions;
 Supe ises he de elopmen plans and he p epa a ion o he
go e no a e budge ;
 Se s p io i ies and p oposes p ojec s;
 App o es he budge o he municipali ies;
Supe ise he wo k o he Go e no a e‘s De elopmen Uni s GDU
since 2008. Jo danian Municipali ies ep esen a pa ially de ol ed
componen o a wide local go e nance sys em in ol ing e ically
de-concen a ed line minis ies. The e is a big gap be ween he wide
unc ions and esponsibili ies ha he Law assigns o hem and
au ho izes hem o exe , on he one hand, and he ex emely limi ed
numbe o se ices ha hey p o ide and unc ions, which hey
assume, on he o he . Excep o Amman and Aqaba, he manda e o
he elec ed municipal councilo s is ou yea s. This also applies o
he councils,
Execu i e and Ad iso y, a he go e no a e le el
The JSCs a e manda ed o ca y ou o se e al
municipali ies he cons uc ion o public and se ice buildings and
schools, bu as o he municipali ies, hei p e oga i es we e
p o ided by he conce ned minis ies, o example, he Minis y o
public wo ks and Housing o Buildings o he Minis y o Educa ion
o Schools.
S a egic Planning and Pe o mance Assessmen
Adop ing speci ic u ban de elopmen echniques was one o
he main objec i es ou lined by he Jo danian go e nmen . This is
demons a ed by he es ablishmen o p o i able p ojec s in he s a e's
cu en o u u e u ban cen e s, which boos s he economy. In
acco dance wi h p ede e mined execu i e ini ia i es, i is also
essen ial o imp o e he s anda d o li ing by deploying
de elopmen al p ojec s, o e ing employmen chances, and
mode nizing me opoli an a eas' in as uc u e. Enhancing he
se ices o e ed in he ields o educa ion, heal h, cul u e, ou ism,
and social se ices a e addi ional ac ics ha gua an ee he sus ained
g ow h o bo h u ban and u al communi ies.
Local De elopmen Di ec i es LDD o he Minis y o
In e io and Local De elopmen Uni LDU a he Go e no a e le el
a e wo bodies o planning. Since 2010, he LDU and he LDD we e
me ged unde he di ec i e o he Minis y o In e io . Since 2009
he Jo danian adminis a ion was so inspi ed, in e m o Planning, by
he de elopmen ideology p omo ed by he Wo ld Bank,
emphasizing he impo ance o a pa icipa o y planning implica ing
he mos ulne able popula ion. This p ocedu e enabled he
popula ion o he in o mal zones o ge ou om hei in o mali y by
gi ing acili ies in o accessing in o owne ship.
Today, LDUs con inue o ope a e wi hin a de-concen a ed
sys em, hey ha e in heo y assumed a posi ion whe e hey can play
a majo ole in he p epa a ion o local de elopmen s a egies, and
local de elopmen ac ion plans o hei espec i e Go e no a es.
The eali y is ha hei p ima y ocus was on epo ing o he cen e
on he implemen a ion o p ojec s by o he go e nmen au ho i ies.
Du ies and Responsibili ies o Local Go e nmen s
The unc ion o mos o he municipali ies is educed o
main enance, moni o and supply o pa o he basic se ices. The
IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025): 78-109
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85
las amendmen s o he local go e nmen law, delega ed a lo o he
municipal p e oga i es o he cen al go e nmen (13 om 39),
including cul u al de elopmen , wa e , elec ici y, sewage,
e gh ing, heal h, educa ion, spo s, local anspo a ion, e c.
Adding o ha , he cen al go e nmen is encou aging he
p i a iza ion o main local se ices which h ea en he exis en ial
pu pose o municipali ies.
Social Du ies and Responsibili ies
Wi h ega d o in as uc u e, he main esponsibili ies o he
local au ho i ies a e limi ed o main enance ope a ions such as
pa emen s and s ee ligh ing plus cleaning he s ee s and
collec ing was e whe e he Join Se ice Council is no ope a i e.
The spending pe cen age o go e nmen on in as uc u e in 2012 is
lowe han in 2011, The da a indica es ha he pe cen age o
households connec ed wi h wa e , elec ici y, and sani a y se ices
a he local le el is abou 96.7%, 99.9%, and 59.7 %, espec i ely,
du ing 2012.
Fo he municipali ies whe e a Join Se ice Council is
ope a i e, he la e manages he solid was e collec ion o e seen by
go e no a e Execu i e Council.
The Minis y o En i onmen is he cen al au ho i y
esponsible o e he solid was e managemen ; i is esponsible o
he selec ion and he sa e y o he dumpsi es. Conce ning he oads
cons uc ion and main enance, he municipal law p ecise ha oad
planning is one o i s s p e oga i es, bu he Minis y o
Municipal Affai s (MoMA) o en comple es his ask.
Fo he municipali ies whe e a Join Se ice Council is
ope a i e, he la e manages he solid was e collec ion o e seen by
go e no a e Execu i e Council. The Minis y o En i onmen is he
cen al au ho i y esponsible o e he solid was e managemen ; i is
esponsible o he selec ion and he sa e y o he dumpsi es.
Conce ning he oads cons uc ion and main enance, he municipal
law p ecise ha oad planning is one o i s s p e oga i es, bu he
Minis y o Municipal Affai s (MoMA) o en comple es his ask.
The bo lenecks o in as uc u e planning and sus ainable
in as uc u e ope a ion a e di e se and can be clus e ed in:
 Lack o clea sha ing ou o esponsibili ies and unds o
u ban planning a esponsible adminis a i e le els and
among conce ned au ho i ies (municipali ies,
go e no a es, minis ies).
 Uncon olled and unplanned ho izon al and e ical
expansion o esiden ial a eas o en dis an o public
in as uc u e due o lack o con ol.
 Ex e nal popula ion g ow h (displaced pe sons) which
esul s in new esiden ial a eas beyond he na ional
planning ame ( e ugee camps).
In o de o mee he challenges, he Jo danian go e nmen is
seeking o amend he ele an legisla ion wi h ega d o housing
p o ision sys em, he go e nmen con inues o implemen
ins i u ional and nancial e o ms o mobilize he nancial esou ces
and o enhance he equal compe i ion in he housing nance ma ke
sys em. Addi ionally, i co e s in as uc u e, building se ices, and
land es ic ions, all o which ha e an e ec on housing cos s and,
hus, p esen a chance o housing inance. The es uc u ing
p og am makes i possible o he egula ed p i a e sec o o become
a di ec p oduc o he populace in acco dance wi h go e nmen
egula ions and he ecommenda ions o he na ional housing policy.
The e o e, h ough he Gene al Housing and U ban De elopmen
Co po a ion, he go e nmen 's in ol emen is es ic ed o
suppo ing and coo dina ing he housing indus y in he Kingdom in
he ollowing a eas:
 Enabling he p i a e sec o o play a pa in housing all
demog aphics, including hose wi h low incomes. In
Jo dan, he p i a e sec o accoun s o 88% o he o e all
housing ou pu , which sa is ies 90% o housing demand.
In o de o supply land plo s app op ia e o he
cons uc ion o esiden ial uni s, nume ous ag eemen s
be ween he public and p i a e sec o s ha e been s uck.
 O e coming obs acles ha p e en he supply o land
app op ia e o all segmen s. The o ganiza ion and land
use comp ehensi e planning has been app o ed.
 Modi ying esiden ial leasing laws o p omo e he p i a e
sec o 's cons uc ion o en al housing and o es ablish a
ai and equi able in e ac ion be ween landlo ds and
enan s.
 P o iding esiden ial p og ams o mee demand o
housing o poo amilies.
Unlike Eu opean ci ies, municipali ies in Jo dan do no ha e
signi can con ibu ions o he cul u al li e o hei ci izens, cul u e is
conside ed as pa o he cen al go e nmen occupa ions, hus mos
o he cul u al ac i i ies in ci ies a e implemen ed by he Minis y o
Cul u e h ough i s egional di ec o a es. In G ea e Amman, he
c ea ion o he cul u al depa men and cen e s a he municipal le el
and he issuance o cul u al magazines had con ibu ed o he
enhancemen o he na ional and local cul u e du ing he las
decade. By suppo ing cul u al ac i i ies, municipali ies mus alloca e
he equi ed nancial esou ces aiming o play a i al ole in e ol ing
he cul u al in as uc u e wi hin he ci ies and o ca e up he
ci izens‘ needs. This accomplishmen would ha e c ea ed solid
ounda ions o he de elopmen o he Jo danian socie y. Fo he
ime being, cul u e do no all among he op municipal p io i ies
due o he cons an sho age in u ban se ice p o ision, so some o
he budge i ems ha belong o he cul u e would be de i ed o o he
i ems like in as uc u e.
A cheological si es a e no mally managed by he Minis y o
Tou ism and An iqui ies (MoTA) along wi h he Depa men o
An iqui ies (DoA). Howe e , he e was signi ican landscape damage
su ounding hese impo an si es as a esul o he cen al au ho i ies'
lack o collabo a ion wi h he local go e nmen au ho i ies in ol ed
in u ban planning, he Minis y o Municipal A ai s, and local
municipali ies. Consequen ly, a na ional commi ee was es ablished
by he cen al go e nmen o sa egua d he a chi ec u al and u ban
he i age. This commi ee, which was es ablished by MMA
membe s, local go e nmen s, and minis ies including he DoA,
MoTA, and MoE, o ganizes u ban planning o ensu e bu e zones
su ounding he i age monumen s while also in ol ing local
au ho i ies in he i age conse a ion. A numbe o in e na ional
acco ds pe aining o he ad ancemen o women's and human igh s
ha e been a i ied by Jo dan. In addi ion o he elease o he
na ional policy o indi iduals wi h disabili ies o he yea s 2010–
2015, he Highe Council o Disabili y was es ablished in 2007.
The public sec o is expec ed o play a signi ican ole in
de elopmen by in es ing local esou ces and o ganizing
ins i u ions and he populace in ligh o he social and economic
ulne abili y posi ion. In e ms o de eloping he policies, laws,
and in as uc u e o o e a ious se ices o hei suppo and
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86
communi y in eg a ion, i is also expec ed o o e social and heal h
ca e se ices o he elde ly and hose wi h disabili ies. in he o he
hand, he 2011 municipal law aised he pe cen age o women in
municipal councils om 20% o 25%. Cu en ly, women cons i u e
35.9% o he membe s o municipal councils in 2013. The e o e, he
municipali ies acco ding o he le el o legisla u e in he coun y
should be implica ed in gh ing po e y and p o iding adequa e
social se ices o he popula ion. The local associa ions which also
deli e in some ci ies basic social se ices leading he popula ion o
ques ion e en he ole o he municipal council challenge his.
Financial Du ies and Responsibili ies
A he local le el, his opic is c ucial since i helps close he
gaps be ween u ban a eas and ensu es ha inancial esou ces a e
used e icien ly while wo king wi h local au ho i ies. Du y- ee
zones we e c ea ed s a egically and o p omo e economic g ow h
by b inging oge he labo , in as uc u e, se ices, and loca ion in
one a ea, as well as by o e ing imp o ed access o egional and
in e na ional ma ke s (see sec ion 3.7 o speci ics).
Addi ionally, he "G een Building Manual," a componen o
sus ainable design, will lowe wa e and ene gy usage, sa ing
signi ican amoun s o money ha may be used o a ious
ini ia i es and ac i i ies ha imp o e he s anda d o li ing o
Jo danian ci y dwelle s. Jo dan‘s Na ional Agenda 2006-2015 ci es
―en i onmen ally sus ainable economic de elopmen ‖ as a p io i y,
while i s Na ional Ene gy S a egy o 2007-2020 a ge s an ene gy
mix o 10% enewable ene gy by 2020. In Decembe 2014 and
Janua y 2015, Jo dan ga e licenses o build nine sola - un powe
plan s in he Ma‘an and Ma aq go e no a es. Two wind ene gy
p ojec s a e planned o 2015. The p ojec s help each he goal o
ha ing se e al enewable ene gy p ojec s wi h a o al capaci y o
1,800 megawa s by he end o 2018.
Municipali ies o med local de elopmen uni s, and laws
de ining hei esponsibili ies and gua an eeing hei au ho i ies in
choosing and ca ying ou p io i y p ojec s in hei communi ies ha e
been modi ied. The p o inces es ablished local de elopmen uni s
and p o ided hem wi h he s a and ools hey needed o o e see he
execu ion o capi al p ojec s. Following he 2001 law modi ica ion,
go e no s we e gi en addi ional economic au ho i y and we e asked
wi h o e seeing he g ow h o he economy inside hei bo de s and
c ea ing an a mosphe e ha was a o able o in es men .
In o de o p o ide app op ia e se ices o he popula ion, i
is essen ial o he municipali ies o ha e a ailable esou ces o
achie e hei goals. Despi e ha , he Jo danian municipali ies a e
dependen on he go e nmen aid cons i u ing up o 40% o hei
e enue. Less han hal o municipal budge is collec ed by
municipali ies (43% in 2004).
1. The s sou ce o municipal e enue, coun ing o mo e
han hal o he budge (57% in 2004), is s a e ans e s
which a e de i ed om an 8% ax on e ned pe oleum
p oduc s and 40% ax on he sale o ehicles and a c
iola ions. Fo yea s, hese ans e s we e made acco ding
o a ‗ ans e o mula‘ ha included he numbe o
inhabi an s, he ca ego y o he municipali y ( om 1 o 4)
and he le el o i s needs.
2. The second is a se ies o axes on p ope y, building
pe mi s and leases comme cial. Only he h ee la ges
municipali ies (Amman, Za qa and I bid) collec hese
axes hemsel es; he o he s ha e delega ed his ask o
he Minis y o Finance, which pays hem wi h a discoun
o 10%. The coun y is di ided in o e zones and o each
one, he go e nmen se a e age p ices. This ax ep esen s
be ween 10% and 12% o municipal e enues (8% in
2004), bu i is unde -collec ed. I should also be e ised
e e y e yea s.
3. Finally, municipali ies could bo ow om he Ci ies and
Villages De elopmen Bank (CVDB), a go e nmen bank
adminis e ed by he Minis e o Municipali ies. These
bo owings, a ained 14%, a e calcula ed depending on he
size o he municipali ies, hei adminis a i e ank and
Mos o he Jo danian municipali ies a e in de ci . Sala ies
a e he impo an elemen in he expendi u es, 55% o he
o al budge , eaching 84% o Rusei a,
Za qa, Ma aq and he municipali ies o sou he n Amman.
Mo eo e , he ope a ion o in as uc u e ake an impo an pa o
he expendi u es o ce ain municipali ies like he anspo
in as uc u e se ing I aq and Sy ia in Ma aq o he cons uc ion
o he ai po in Ma j al Hammam, o ga bage collec ion a e y
expensi e i em, pa emen , ligh ing, main enance o ga dens and
squa es, ma ke s, building pe mi s and public hygiene.
En i onmen al Du ies and Responsibili ies
Jo dan‘s en i onmen al challenges, high a es o popula ion,
apid and poo ly planned u baniza ion, and hea y dependence on
impo ed ene gy esou ces combine o c ea e socio-economic and
en i onmen al p essu es likely o domina e Jo dan‘s de elopmen
p ocesses o yea s o come. The sca ci y o na u al esou ces is
coupled wi h he ulne abili y o ecosys ems and habi a s ha
pe mi special conse a ion, including h ough sus ainable
de elopmen effo s. Clima e change will affec Jo dan h ough
highe empe a u es, sho e we seasons, mo e e a ic ain and ising
sea le els. The en i onmen al law no. 52 o 2006 app oached he
p o ec ion o he en i onmen oge he wi h he human heal h
agains pollu ion h ough he in oduc ion o policies and p ojec s as
well as egula ions and ins uc ions complying wi h s anda d
speci ca ions aiming o educe en i onmen al pollu ion.
Clima e Change
Clima e change adap a ion is becoming a need and a way o
li e a he han an op ion. Gi en he expanding popula ion in Jo dan
and he su ounding a ea, his may be mo e signi ican . Jo dan, like
many de eloping na ions, has s a ed o expe ience he nega i e
e ec s o clima e change, such as ising empe a u es, an inc ease in
a eas a ec ed by d ough , unp edic able ain all, hea wa es, and a
signi ican decline in su ace and subsu ace wa e supplies, which
could lead o a ood sho age. Fu he mo e, he e is an e ec on
illness pa e ns. Ha ing access o sani a y acili ies and clean wa e ,
which leads o popula ion displacemen om he mos impac ed
a eas while jeopa dizing he a ainmen o he Millennium
De elopmen Goals.
I is ob ious ha Jo danian ci ies su e om inadequa e
u ban planning, which now needs o ake clima e change in o
accoun . Addi ionally, i appea s ha he e a e many chao ic land
use pa e ns, which signi ican ly a ec s he en i onmen al sec o .
The concen a ion o indus ial zones in u ban a eas and human
se lemen s like Amman, Za qa, Aqaba, and I bid, as well as he
de imen al e ec s o in e ac ions be ween hese indus ies, u ban
cen e s, and en i onmen al esou ces like soil, g oundwa e ,
unlicensed was e spools, and excessi e u ban expansion, a e some
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Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
93
I aq's local go e nmen sys em has expe ienced signi ican
ans o ma ions due o his o ical ac o s and poli ical ins abili y.
A e he all o Saddam Hussein's egime, I aq adop ed a ede al
sys em, g an ing mo e au onomy o p o inces. I aq is di ided in o
eigh een go e no a es, each wi h i s council esponsible o local
adminis a ion. De eloping a unc ioning local go e nmen sys em
emains a challenge due o ongoing secu i y issues and poli ical
di isions.
Cons i u ional F amewo k
I aq was go e ned by he Baʿa h (A abic: ―Renaissance‖)
Pa y om 1968 o 2003. The pa y's 1970 empo a y cons i u ion
es ablished I aq as a epublic, wi h legisla i e au ho i y supposedly
held by bo h he pa y- un Re olu iona y Command Council
(RCC) and an elec ed legisla u e. Wi hou he RCC's consen , no
law could be enac ed. The p esiden , who also chai ed he RCC,
o e saw he cabine minis e s, and supposedly epo ed o he
RCC, held execu i e au ho i y. Theo e ically, an independen
judicia y also held judicial powe . Howe e , he poli ical sys em
unc ioned wi h minimal adhe ence o cons i u ional p inciples, and
P esiden Saddam Hussein had nea ly un es ic ed au ho i y om
1979 o 2003.
The Coali ion P o isional Au ho i y (CPA), led by a senio
Ame ican diploma , was es ablished by he Uni ed S a es and i s
coali ion allies a e he Baʿa h go e nmen was o e h own in
2003. The 25-membe I aqi Go e ning Council (IGC), which was
appoin ed by he CPA in July, ook o e some go e ning du ies. In
Ma ch 2004, an in e im cons i u ion was a i ied by he IGC, and in
Oc obe 2005, a public plebisci e app o ed a pe manen
cons i u ion. This cons i u ion c ea ed I aq as a ede al s a e,
gi ing he na ional go e nmen limi ed con ol o e issues like
o eign policy, de ense, and cus oms laws. Some opics a e
handled a he dis ic and egional cons i uencies' disc e ion, while
o he s (including gene al planning, educa ion, and heal h ca e) all
unde sha ed compe encies.
The cons i u ion is in many ways he amewo k o a ai ly
ypical pa liamen a y democ acy. The p esiden is he head o
s a e, he p ime minis e is he head o go e nmen , and he
cons i u ion p o ides o wo delibe a i e bodies, he Council o
Rep esen a i es (Majlis al-Nawwāb) and he Council o Union
(Majlis al-I iḥād). The judicia y is ee and independen o he
execu i e and he legisla u e.
The p esiden , who is nomina ed by he Council o
Rep esen a i es and who is limi ed o wo ou -yea e ms, holds
wha is la gely a ce emonial posi ion. The head o s a e p esides
o e s a e ce emonies, ecei es ambassado s, and endo ses ea ies
and laws, and awa ds medals and honou s. The p esiden also calls
upon he leading pa y in legisla i e elec ions o o m a
go e nmen ( he execu i e), which consis s o he p ime minis e
and he cabine and which, in u n, mus seek he app o al o he
Council o Rep esen a i es o assume powe . The execu i e is
esponsible o se ing policy and o he day- o-day unning o he
go e nmen . The execu i e also may p opose legisla ion o he
Council o Rep esen a i es.
The Council o Rep esen a i es does no ha e a se numbe
o sea s bu is based on a o mula o one ep esen a i e o e e y
100,000 ci izens. Minis e s se e ou -yea e ms and si in session
o eigh mon hs pe yea . The council‘s unc ions include enac ing
ede al laws, moni o ing he pe o mance o he p ime minis e and
he p esiden , a i ying o eign ea ies, and app o ing
appoin men s; in addi ion, i has he au ho i y o decla e wa .
The cons i u ion is e y b ie on he issue o he Council o
Union, he s uc u e, du ies, and powe s o which appa en ly will
be le o la e legisla ion. The cons i u ion only no es ha his
body will include ep esen a i es o he egions and go e no a es,
sugges ing ha i will likely ake he o m o an uppe house.
Local Go e nmen Sys em
Th ee o he 18 muḥā aẓā (go e no a es) ha make up he
independen Ku dis an Region a e sepa a ed om he es o I aq
o adminis a i e pu poses. The p esiden appoin s he muḥā iẓ,
o go e no , o each go e no a e. Each o he 91 aqḍiyyah
(dis ic s) ha make up he go e no a es is sepa a ed in o nāḥiyā
( ac s), which a e led by di ec o s. The o al numbe o ac s in
I aq is 141. Each ci y and own has i s own municipal council,
which is led by a mayo . Baghdad has i s own go e no and
special s a us. In ac uali y, he Ku dish Au onomous Region only
gained au onomy wi h he assis ance o coali ion o ces a e he
Pe sian Gul Wa , despi e being es ablished by go e nmen dec ee
in 1974. I is un by a legisla i e council wi h 50 elec ed membe s.
The Ku dis an Region was a i ied unde he 2005 cons i u ion,
which also au ho izes he es ablishmen o u u e egions in o he
pa s o I aq as pa o a ede al s a e.
Jus ice
Judicial a ai s in I aq a e adminis e ed by he Sup eme
Judicial Council, which nomina es he jus ices o he Sup eme
Cou , he na ional p osecu o , and o he high judicial o icials o
app o al by he Council o Rep esen a i es. Membe s o he
Sup eme Cou a e equi ed o be expe s in ci il law and Muslim
canon law and a e appoin ed by wo- hi ds majo i y o he
legisla u e. The Sup eme Cou esol es legal dispu es be ween he
na ional go e nmen and lesse ju isdic ions in addi ion o
in e p e ing he cons i u ion and making decisions on ma e s o
na ional law. The judicia y was la gely dis ega ded h oughou he
Baʿa h e a, and he go e nmen es ablished a wide ange o
ex ao dina y cou s wi h powe s ha wen beyond he
cons i u ion. The 2005 cons i u ion exp essly p ohibi s he c ea ion
o such cou s. Due p ocess o law mus be ollowed in he
es ablishmen o all new cou s.

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Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
94
Local Go e nmen Sys em o Adminis a ion in I an:
IN IRAN:
Capi al
and la ges ci y
Teh an
35°41′N 51°25′E
O icial languages
Pe sian
Recognised egional languages
show
Lis o languages:
Na ional language
Pe sian
E hnic g oups
(2003 es ima e)
show
All
Demonym(s)
I anian
Go e nmen
Uni a y p esiden ial heoc a ic Islamic epublic
• Sup eme Leade
Ali Khamenei
• P esiden
Mohammad Mokhbe (ac ing)
• Vice P esiden
Mohammad Mokhbe
• Speake o he Pa liamen
Mohammad Baghe Ghaliba
• Chie Jus ice
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
• Sec e a y o he Gua dian Council
Ahmad Janna i
Legisla u e
Islamic Consul a i e Assembly
Es ablishmen his o y
• P e-impe ial dynas y
c. 3200 BC
• Median kingdom
c. 678 BC
• Achaemenid Empi e
550 BC
• Pa hian Empi e
247 BC
• Sasanian Empi e
224 AD
• I anian In e mezzo
821
• Sa a id I an
1501
• A sha id I an
1736
• Zand dynas y
1751
• Qaja I an
1789
• Pahla i I an
15 Decembe 1925
• I anian Re olu ion
11 Feb ua y 1979
• Cu en Cons i u ion
3 Decembe 1979
• La es amendmen
28 July 1989
A ea
• To al
1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi) (17 h)
• Wa e (%)
1.63 (as o 2015)
Popula ion
• 2024 es ima e
89,767,210 (17 h)
• Densi y
55/km2 (142.4/sq mi) (132nd)
GDP (PPP)
2024 es ima e
• To al
$1.855 illion] (19 h)
• Pe capi a
$21,220 (78 h)
GDP (nominal)
2024 es ima e
• To al
$464,181 billion (34 h)
• Pe capi a
$5,310 (113 h)
Gini (2019)
40.9
medium
HDI (2022)
0.780
high (78 h)
Cu ency
I anian ial (ریال) (IRR)
Time zone
UTC+3:30 (IRST)
Da e o ma
yyyy/mm/dd (SH)
D i ing side
igh
Calling code
+98
ISO 3166 code
IR
IRASS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y S udies Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025): 78-109
Vol-2, Iss-10 (Oc obe -2025)
95
I an's local go e nmen sys em eme ged a e he Islamic
Re olu ion in 1979. The coun y is di ided in o hi y-one
p o inces, which u he di ide in o coun ies, dis ic s, and
municipali ies. The sys em in eg a es elemen s o Islamic
go e nance, wi h di ec ly elec ed councils and mayo s esponsible
o managing local a ai s. Howe e , he cen al go e nmen
main ains signi ican in luence o e local go e nmen s.
Local Go e nmen Sys em o Adminis a ion in Uae:
UAE
Capi al
Abu Dhabi
24°28′N 54°22′E
La ges ci y
Dubai
25°15′N 55°18′E
O icial languages
A abic
Common languages
Emi a i A abic, English
E hnic g oups
(2015)[4]
 59.4% Sou h Asian
 38.2% Indian
 9.5% Bangladeshi
 9.4% Pakis ani
 2.3% o he
 11.6% Emi a i A ab
 10.2% Egyp ian
 6.1% Filipino
 12.8% o he
Religion
(2005 es .)[4]
 76% Islam (o icial)
 9% Ch is iani y
 6% Hinduism
 8% o he s
Demonym(s)
Emi a i
Go e nmen
Fede al Islamic semi-cons i u ional
mona chy
• P esiden
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• P ime Minis e
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak oum
• Vice P esiden s
 Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak oum
 Mansou bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Legisla u e
 Fede al Sup eme Council
Es ablishmen
• B i ish p o ec o a e as pa
o Pe sian Gul Residency
1820 and 1892
• Independence om he
Uni ed Kingdom
2 Decembe 1971
• Admi ed o he Uni ed
Na ions
9 Decembe 1971
• Admission o Ras Al
Khaimah
10 Feb ua y 1972
A ea
• To al
83,600 km2 (32,300 sq mi) (114 h)
• Wa e (%)
negligible
Popula ion
• 2020 es ima e
9,282,410 (92nd)
• 2005 census
4,106,427
• Densi y
121/km2 (313.4/sq mi) (110 h)
GDP (PPP)
2024 es ima e
• To al
$952.171 billion (34 h)
• Pe capi a
$92,954 (6 h)
GDP (nominal)
2024 es ima e
• To al
$536.829 billion (31s )
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• Pe capi a
$52,407 (20 h)
Gini (2018)
26.0
low
HDI (2022)
0.937
e y high (17 h)
Cu ency
UAE di ham (AED)
Time zone
UTC+04:00 (GST)
Calling code
+971
ISO 3166 code
AE
The his o y and de elopmen o local go e nmen in he
Uni ed A ab Emi a es (UAE) a e shaped by he coun y's unique
poli ical and adminis a i e con ex . The UAE is a ede a ion o
se en emi a es, each wi h i s own local go e nmen s uc u e and
a ying deg ees o au onomy. The powe s and oles o bo h ede al
and local go e nmen s a e de ined by he Cons i u ion.
The UAE go e nmen is headed by a ede al go e nmen
and local go e nmen s o he se en emi a es. The ede al
go e nmen is led by he P esiden and he P ime Minis e , who a e
bo h elec ed by he Fede al Sup eme Council (FSC). The FSC is
composed o he se en Emi s o he emi a es, who selec he
P esiden and cabine . The local go e nmen s a e headed by he
Rule s o each emi a e, who ha e signi ican powe s o manage
hei own esou ces au onomously.
The UAE's local go e nmen sys em has e ol ed o e ime,
e lec ing he coun y's unique poli ical and adminis a i e con ex .
The sys em has been shaped by he coun y's his o y o B i ish
colonial ule and he subsequen de elopmen o he coun y's oil
indus y. The UAE's local go e nmen sys em is cha ac e ized by a
decen alized s uc u e, wi h each emi a e ha ing i s own local
go e nmen sys em and a ying deg ees o au onomy.
The UAE's local go e nmen sys em has been in luenced
by he coun y's poli ical his o y, including he disco e y o oil in
he egion du ing he 1950s and he subsequen de elopmen o he
coun y's oil indus y. The UAE's local go e nmen sys em has
also been shaped by he coun y's membe ship in he Gul
Coope a ion Council (GCC) and i s pa icipa ion in egional and
in e na ional o ganiza ions.
Backg ound
In 1820, o p o ec he ma i ime ading ou es, G ea B i ain
de ised he li o al known as he Pi a e Coas o o m he T ucial
Coas and he se en small p incipali ies ha do ed i s sho es as he
T ucial S a es. In 1971, G ea B i ain e mina ed i s special ea y
ela ionships wi h Bah ain, Qa a , and he T ucial S a es and ied o
c ea e a ede a ion ha would ha e included all se en o he T ucial
S a es as well as Qa a and Bah ain. A e he wi hd awal o Bah ain
and Qa a on Decembe 1 in 1971, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sha jah,
Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujai ah decided o uni e and o m a
ede a ion o he new UAE.
Ras Al Khaimah joined hem la e in ea ly 1972.
The UAE is a ede al mona chy o se en emi a es s e ching
along he sou he n coas o he A abian/Pe sian Gul . Six o he
emi a es (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sha jah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and
Ras Al Khaimah) ha e e i o y on he Gul , wi h Sha jah ha ing
addi ional and non-con iguous e i o y along he coas o he Gul
o Oman. Only Fujai ah is loca ed comple ely in he la e po ion o
he ede a ion. The coun y had a popula ion o nea ly 9,577,000 in
2015; 1,084,764 o hem a e na ionals and compose 11.32% o he
o al 74 na ionali ies ha li e and cohabi oge he in he UAE.
Cons i u ional Laws and Legal Regula ions on Local
Go e nmen s
A e he c ea ion o he Uni ed A ab Emi a es (UAE) in
1971, a se ies o ede al and local laws we e de eloped wi h he
pu pose o egula ing in e nal ma e s and ex e nal ela ions be ween
he indi idual emi a es and ensu ing he implemen a ion o
ansac ions. Acco ding o he a icles 120 and 121 o he UAE
Cons i u ion, he Fede al Au ho i ies a e esponsible o o eign
affai s, secu i y and de ense, na ionali y and immig a ion issues,
educa ion, public heal h, cu ency and so o h. They a e also
esponsible o a eas ha co e speci ic sec o s such as labo
ela ions, banking, delimi a ion o e i o ial wa e s, and ex adi ion o
c iminals.
Acco ding o he A icles 116, 117, and 118 o he UAE
cons i u ion, each o he se en emi a es (Dubai, Sha jah, Ras Al-
Khaimah, Fujai ah, Ajman, Umm AL Quwain, and Abu Dhabi) is
allowed o exe cise indi idual powe s ha a e no assigned by he
ede al laws. The emi a es ha a e membe s o he union (a) wo k o
uni y all o pa o hei public se ices by es ablishing a join
adminis a i e uni and (b) coo dina ing hei legisla ions in a ious
elds as much as possible.
Mo eo e , he se en emi a es ha e he igh o adop he
ede al judicial sys em as i is, main ain i s own laws and dec ees
which co e a a ie y o opics, o e e o bo h. Fo example, he
egula ions on he municipal axes, he ees o municipal se ices,
con ac ing consul ancy o ces, o cons uc ion wo ks a y om one
emi a e o ano he . This way, he cou s in each emi a e can main ain
a ce ain deg ee o highe -le el exchange while simul aneously
conside ing local legal ma e s ha a e no necessa ily assigned in
he ede al judicial sys em.
Elec ion P ocesses o Local Go e nmen s
The e is no elec ion o he local councils a he municipal
le el; membe s, including he Mayo o he Gene al Di ec o o he
Municipali y, a e appoin ed. Howe e , he e was a change in he
poli ical image o he coun y a he ede al le el wi h he elec ion o
hal o he 40 membe s o he Fede al Na ional Council (FNC) in
2006 by an elec o al college. This change is impo an o he
coun y o de elop and mode nize i s poli ical p ocess,
unde s anding ha he wo ld is e ol ing. The la es elec ion o he
FNC was held in 2015, bu he elec o a e was expanded o 225,000
o e s, abou wice as he numbe in 2011. The e we e 330
candida es (lowe han in 2011), including 74 women (almos as
many as in 2011), bu only one woman was elec ed. The emaining
20 sea s we e appoin ed and 8 o hese appoin ees we e women. The
nex FNC elec ions a e o be held in 2019. UAE o cials asse ha
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he e a e plans o make all 40 sea s elec ed, bu i is no clea ha
his would apply o he 2019 o e.
S uc u e o Local Go e nmen s
Cen al, Regional, and Local Go e nmen s: In e ela ions and
Responsibili ies
Fede alism in he UAE is a unique go e nance s yle
acco ding o which he ela ionships be ween a ious na ional and
local s akeholde s om each emi a e a e o med. The cen al ede al
go e nmen includes i e uni s wi h a numbe o execu i e,
legisla i e, and judicial au ho i ies. Cu en ly, he UAE‘s ede al
sys em o go e nmen is composed o :
 The Fede al Sup eme Council,
 The P esiden and his Depu y,
 The Council o Minis e s (Cabine ),
 The Fede al Na ional Council (FNC), he pa liamen a y
body,
 The Fede al Sup eme Cou , he independen judicia y.
The highes au ho i y is he Fede al Sup eme Council ha consis s
o he se en ule s o he se en emi a es and each Emi a e has one
single o e in he council esolu ions and delibe a ions. The Council
has bo h legisla i e and execu i e powe and i s gene al du ies
include sanc ioning dec ees, a i ying ea ies and in e na ional
ag eemen s, se ing he annual budge , and o mula ing and
endo sing gene al policies and ede al laws on all ma e s ha a e
conside ed o common in e es o he membe emi a es. The Council
also app o es he appoin men o esigna ion o he p ime minis e o
he ede a ion as well as he p esiden and judges o he Sup eme
Fede al Cou .
The p esiden o he union, ep esen ing he union in e nally
andin e na ionally, p esides o e he mee ings o he Sup eme
Council and di ec s i s discussions. He has a p e oga i e o sign
union laws, dec ees, decisions ( ha he Sup eme Council ha e
sanc ioned), and all he co espondences wi h o eign s a es and
o ganiza ions. Fu he mo e, he can appoin and accep he
esigna ion o he p ime minis e and minis e s, he diploma ic
co ps, and o he ci il and mili a y senio union o cials (apa om
he p esiden and judges o he Fede al Sup eme Cou ).
The hi d laye o ede al go e nance is he Cabine which is
consis ed o he p ime minis e , his depu y, and he minis e s. The
main du ies include he implemen a ion o domes ic policy as well
as o eign policies o he union and he in e na ional ea ies and
ag eemen s. The cabine d aws up he annual budge o he union
and he inal accoun s and d a s dec ees/decisions, issuing
egula ions on he p o ision o public se ices (including he wo k
o he local police) as well as d a ing and supe ising he
implemen a ion o ede al laws ha a e aised o he p esiden o he
union o submission o he Sup eme Council (along wi h
egula ions on he implemen a ion o hese laws). Las ly, he council
o minis e s appoin s and dismisses union employees and con ols
he conduc o wo k in depa men s and public se ices.
The ou h le el o ede al go e nance is he Fede al
Na ional Council (FNC) o he union which is composed o 40
membe s who mus mee ce ain c i e ia. A membe mus be a
ci izen o 20 yea s o age o olde a he ime o elec ion and a
pe manen esiden o one o he emi a es he/she ep esen s in he
assembly and mus ac on behal o all he people in he union (no
only he emi a e which he/she ep esen s). The membe also mus
no ha e a c iminal eco d o been ehabili a ed in acco dance wi h
he law and mus ha e he adequa e eading and w i ing skills.
The las ede al le el is he Fede al Sup eme Cou o he
union, which is acco ded independence unde he Cons i u ion. The
Fede al Sup eme Cou is comp ised o i e judges appoin ed by he
Sup eme Council. The judges decide on he cons i u ionali y o
ede al laws and a bi a e on he in e -emi a e dispu es and he
dispu es be ween he Fede al Go e nmen and he emi a es. The
UAE ci il law does no dic a e he poli ical sys em in each emi a e
bu se s he o e all egula ions ha go e n he p ac ice o ede alism
in he UAE.
Finally, wi h ega ds o he Local Go e nmen , he emi a es
ha e ull au ho i y o e hei e i o ies, i.e., main aining law and
o de , p o ision o public se ices, de elopmen o social and
economic s anda ds wi hin he emi a e, en o cemen o local
o dinances and so on. The local go e nmen includes an Execu i e
Council, a Na ional Consul a i e Council, and many municipali ies,
each ha ing i s own Mayo o Di ec o , Municipal Council, and
Execu i e depa men s which ha e hei own manage s and se s o
expe ise.
This adminis a i e s uc u e diffe s om one emi a e o
ano he acco ding o he size, he needs, and he p io i ies o i s
local inhabi an s. Each o he se en emi a es (Dubai, Sha jah, Ras
Al-Khaimah, Fujai ah, Ajman, Umm AL Quwain, and Abu Dhabi)
has i s own local go e nance sys em ha unc ions in coo dina ion
wi h he cen al ede al go e nmen . These sys ems di e ge in size
and complexi y depending on a a ie y o ac o s such as popula ion
densi y, a ea size, and deg ee o de elopmen pa e ns. The gene al
s uc u e o public adminis a ion has been in ac since i s
o mula ion in 1971. No d as ic changes ha e been in oduced in he
pas o a e expec ed in he nea u u e.
Bodies o Local Go e nmen s
Municipali ies in he UAE, di ec ly se ing he people li ing
wi hin hei bounda ies, handle impo an local-le el esponsibili ies
and a e p ima ily managed based on cul u al no ms and kinship,
excep o Abu Dhabi whe e a numbe o decision-make s a e
appoin ed acco ding o hei amily ies o egional a lia ions. Each
municipali y includes a Municipal Council and a di ec o a e wi h
se e al depa men s. Dubai Municipali y has 34 depa men s, o
example. They a e di ided acco ding o hei diffe en se s o
expe ise and ac i i ies; hese ange om legal affai s, s a egic
planning, nancial and echnical audi o municipal asse s, co po a e
pe o mance and public ela ions, in o ma ion echnology
(including geog aphic in o ma ion sys ems), land and p ope y
su ey, u ban planning and cons uc ion o anspo a ion, ehicle
and equipmen main enance, p ese a ion o a chi ec u al
he i age/landma ks and an iqui ies, en i onmen al
managemen /ho icul u e and sus ainable and enewable ene gy,
ood sa e y and quali y con ol, d ainage, i iga ion, and sewage
wa e ea men .
Fo example, he la ges and mos populous emi a e, Abu
Dhabi, has i s own go e ning body wi h local depa men s ha ca y
ou a ious adminis a i e unc ions. They adminis e se ices in he
main go e no a es and unc ion unde he au ho i y o a Municipal
Council. A simila sys em o municipali ies and depa men s exis s
in he o he emi a es. Howe e , despi e inc easing effo s aimed a
inc easing decen aliza ion, he municipal sys em o adminis a ion
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in he UAE is s ill s ongly dependen on he esou ces o he cen al
go e nmen .
Councils o Local Go e nmen s
The municipal councils a e he main decision-making
au ho i ies o he municipali ies and a e headed by he Municipali y
Chai man. The emi a e o Abu Dhabi has i s own Na ional
Consul a i e Council ha unc ions in a manne ha is like he
Fede al Na ional Council and an Execu i e Council ha is chai ed by
he C own P ince. In he UAE, he Municipal Councils also ca y
ou o e lapping esponsibili ies on he ede al and he local le els in
hei espec i e emi a es. The main du ies o he Municipal Council
include:
 Main aining an op imal use o he a ailable public
esou ces (including he mone a y esou ces) o achie e
he municipali y‘s s a egic objec i es;
 P omo ing ins i u ional esponsibili y o achie e he
municipali y‘s s a egic objec i es;
 Building a cul u e o pa icipa ion in policy o mula ion,
se ice p o ision, decision-making and e alua ion, and
moni o ing compliance wi h he laws;
 Responding o he equi emen s and needs o cus ome s
wi h quali y and speed;
 P omo ing a cul u e o accoun abili y and anspa ency;
 Documen ing p ocedu es and egula ions and de e mining
he esponsibili ies as well as he igh s o he ci izens.
Manda es o Mayo s in Local Go e nmen s
The mayo is he highes - anking o cial in he
municipali ies. His/he du ies (assis ed by he a ious municipal
execu i e depa men s) include:
 Delega ing a wide ange o au ho i ies o local execu i e
depa men s;
 Pe o ming a ious asks ha in ol e go e nmen policies
and ope a ions;
 App o ing he necessa y decisions ha implemen he
a icles o he local laws, o de s, and dec ees;
 Se ing on he Boa d o Di ec o s o se e al associa ions;
 Con ibu ing o he ac i i ies o non-go e nmen al
o ganiza ions.
In small o emo e u al se lemen s, he mayo may choose o
appoin a local ep esen a i e, an Emi o a Wali (whose au ho i y
also emana es om gene al communi y consensus) o ac on his/he
behal and manage he conce ns o he local inhabi an s.
O ganiza ional S uc u e o Local Go e nmen s
The key ocus o his UAE go e nmen s a egy was o c ea e
syne gy be ween he ede al and he local go e nmen s. O he
p inciples include e i alizing he egula o y and policy-making
oles o he minis ies and imp o ing hei decision-making
mechanisms, inc easing he e iciency o go e nmen al bodies and
upg ading hei se ices in acco dance wi h he needs o he people
as well as e iewing and upg ading he exis ing legisla ion. The e
a e se en local go e nmen s co esponding o he se en emi a es,
which a y in size and he scope o esponsibili ies due o hei
e ol emen along wi h he coun y‘s g ow h. They ha e also diffe en
mechanisms depending on he size o he popula ion, he a ea o he
emi a e, and i s deg ee o de elopmen .
As men ioned be o e, Abu Dhabi (as he la ges and mos
populous emi a e) has i s own go e ning s uc u es, chai ed by he
C own P ince H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, unde
which he e a e many sepa a e depa men s ha a e equi alen o
minis ies. The e a e also a numbe o au onomous agencies wi h
assigned powe s such as Abu Dhabi En i onmen al Agency, Abu
Dhabi Tou ism and Cul u e Au ho i y, Abu Dhabi Au ho i y o
Cul u e and He i age, and Abu Dhabi Heal h Au ho i y. Rega ding
he egional s uc u e, Abu Dhabi is di ided in o wo egions: Al
Gha bia (p e iously known as he Wes e n Region) and he Eas e n
Region, headed by he Rule ‘s Rep esen a i es. As o he
municipali ies, he e a e wo municipali ies in he main ci ies o
Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, each one ha ing a nomina ed Ci y Council.
The emi a e o Dubai has also i s own Execu i e Council
which was es ablished in 2003 and is headed by C own P ince Sheikh
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak oum. On he o he hand,
Sha jah and Ajman also ha e Execu i e Councils; in addi ion o ha ,
Sha jah has de eloped i s own Consul a i e Council. Fu he mo e,
Sha jah, ha ing h ee e i o ies on he eas coas o he coun y, has
adop ed he p ac ice o de ol ing some au ho i y o he local le el,
wi h b anches o he Sha jah Emi i Diwan (Cou ), headed by depu y
chai men, in bo h Kalba and Kho Fakkan. A simila pa e n o
municipali ies, depa men s, and au onomous agencies can be ound in
each o he o he emi a es.
In smalle se lemen s, he ule o each emi a e may choose a
ep esen a i e, an Emi o a Wali, o ac as an in e media y who ca ies
he conce ns o he inhabi an s di ec ly o he go e nmen . In mos cases,
hese a e leading local gu es, who ha e bo h he consensus o hei
communi y and he con idence o he ule . Ano he adi ional ype o
di ec democ a ic ibal p ac ice is he ―Open Majlis‖. This emphasizes
a s ong p incipal ha he people should ha e a di ec access o hei
ule s so ha hey can exp ess hei opinions. In many emi a es, his
adi ion is s ill main ained by he ule and se e al o he senio amily
membe s. In ―Majlis,‖ he audience may discuss a wide ange o
opics, bo h o pe sonal o public in e es s. This ―pa allel‖ sys em o
go e nance en iches he poli ical pa icipa ion; also, in a cul u al
con ex , i helps o main ain he iden i y o he coun y agains he apid
economic and social changes.
S a egic Planning and Pe o mance Assessmen
In 2007, Abu Dhabi launched i s ision o 2030 o manage he
de elopmen in an effec i e way. The Vision 2030 is designed o
es ablish a planning cul u e and o ac i ely espond o he u u e
de elopmen needs as well as o in oduce s ong guidelines o
sus ainable de elopmen . In i s 2013-17 de elopmen plan, Abu Dhabi
was o in es nea ly Dh30 billion, which would encou age he
economic g ow h and job c ea ion (5000 jobs) besides expanding he
non-hyd oca bon sec o .
Housing and in as uc u e would compose a la ge po ion o
hese in es men s such as Abu Dhabi In e na ional Ai po and he
E ihad Rail ne wo k, which would p o ide se ices (ini ially in eigh )
om he bo de o Saudi A abia in he sou h wes o Ras al-Khaimah
and he eas coas . The ision also aims o c ea e a sus ainable ci y by
means o concen a ing g ow h, in oducing anspo choice, c ea ing
mixed-use and pedes ian- iendly s ee s, implemen ing a mo e
sus ainable and cos -effec i e in as uc u e, and p o ec ing and
enhancing he na u al en i onmen . The de elopmen schedule will
include he ci y o Al Ain and Gha bia ( he Wes e n Region).

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Dubai also launched i s plan in 2007. I ecognizes ha u ban
planning is a p imo dial channel o mee he needs o sus ainable
de elopmen while p ese ing na u al esou ces. The e o e, o
implemen his ision, Dubai U ban Planning Commi ee b ough
oge he key s akeholde s such as he Municipali y, he Road and
T anspo Au ho i y, he Elec ici y and Wa e Au ho i y, he Dubai
Land Depa men as well as he de elope s such as he Dubai
Holdings, Emaa , and Nakheel. The e is an ongoing wo k o upda e he
ision in line wi h he e ised assump ions ha we e o med du ing he
nancial c isis and o boos he UAE economy o p epa e i o a new
e a.
O he smalle municipali ies such as Ajman do no ha e hei ision
plans eady; howe e , hey ook some s eps o u he de elopmen o
hei ci ies. The Di ec o Gene al o Ajman Municipali y announced
ha he ci y would be di ided in o sec o s and esiden ial a eas wi h
oads, g een bel s, and esiden ial pa ks ha would sepa a e hem om
o he unc ions such as he indus ial a eas. The idea behind his would
be o acili a e apid de elopmen in he emi a e, a ac in es o s, and
boos ou ism.
Wi h ega d o he pe o mance assessmen , he S a e Audi
Ins i u ion conduc s e iews o all municipali ies and go e nmen
depa men s ha a e pa ially o ully publicly-owned in espec o he
law no. 7 o 1976, he law no. 9 o 1975, he law no. 22 o 1995, and
he dec ee no. 49 o 1997. I epo s any adminis a i e o nancial
misconduc o a specialized disciplina y council and o he conce ned
adminis a i e uni . The same laws also p ohibi he wi hholdmen o
he equi ed in o ma ion and he obs uc ion o he audi o s‘ access o
he inancial books. All audi o s a e egis e ed a he Minis y o
Economy and Comme ce.
Du ies and Responsibili ies
The ole o he municipal councils in he UAE does no diffe
om o he coun ies. Fo ins ance, he councils a e esponsible o
imp o ing se ices o esiden s o hei dis ic s, such as public wo ks
and in as uc u e. In addi ion, he municipal councils can be powe ul
ools o p omo e ci ic awa eness and pa icipa ion among he na ion‘s
ci izens o in ol e hem in he affai s o hei communi ies and o
enable hem o be mo e han jus spec a o s in he de elopmen o hei
coun y.
In as uc u e
The UAE has g an ed subs an ial budge alloca ions o
in as uc u e p ojec s in ecen yea s. The municipali ies o Abu
Dhabi, Dubai, and Sha jah, o example, de eloped in as uc u e
p ojec s such as he new oads and b idges and ins alled o ex ended
he public anspo sys ems. This includes he p ojec s ha a e unde
way and in he planning s age. Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 was named in
a lis o he op 100 in as uc u e p ojec s wo ldwide; Wo ld Ci ies
Edi ion ea u ed he p o les o Vision 2030, Masda Ci y, Pa is-
So bonne Uni e si y on Reem Island, and he Yas Island Was e
Managemen which is an au oma ed acuum was e-managemen
sys em ha is consis ed o 43 inle poin s and 5.3km o pipes and
which can suck 40 ons o was e e e y day collec ed om he si es
a ound he island. Al Gha bia egion has i s sha e o he
in as uc u e p ojec s. The egion will hos ―Ba akah‖ which will be
he i s nuclea powe plan in he Middle Eas (cu en ly unde
cons uc ion) as well as he bigges sola powe plan in he wo ld
(Shams 1). The la ges pe ochemicals acili y in he wo ld, he
la ges oil elds, and e ne ies in he UAE a e loca ed in he same
egion.
Housing
Housing in he UAE is a cen al conce n; he e o e, o
p o ide housing o he Emi a i ci izens, he municipali ies combine
hei effo s wi h he ede al go e nmen (i.e. he Minis y o Public
Wo ks and Housing) which e iews applica ions o housing, akes
decisions on hese applica ions, p o ides ecommenda ions, and
offe s housing loans, housing g an s as well as se ices o people
wi h special needs. On he o he side, p i a e companies had and s ill
ha e an ac i e in ol emen in he de elopmen o he housing sec o
in he UAE, pa icula ly in Dubai. Mos o he ecen de elopmen s
we e planned, nanced, and implemen ed by he p i a e companies,
and he local au ho i ies played he ole o he acili a o and
some imes he pa ne .
The e a e h ee ypes o housing assis ance p og ams a he
Na ional Le el o e seen by he Fede al Go e nmen :
 The i s one p o ides home loans and g an s o ci izens
who own a piece o land;
 The second one offe s in e es - ee and long- e m loans
o ci izens who can epay hem;
 The hi d one p o ides ee housing o low-income
ci izens.
The Sheikh Zayed Housing P og am es ablished in 1999
unds housing p ojec s o ci izens wi h low incomes by p o iding
in e es - ee loans ha a e epayable o e a 25-yea pe iod. G an s
and non- eimbu sable assis ance a e dispensed o he poo es
segmen s o he socie y. Fu he mo e, each emi a e has i s own
housing p og am ha p o ides suppo o he Emi a i ci izens such
as he Sheikh Khali a housing p og am in Abu Dhabi which
includes building new homes and e u bishing he exis ing ones, he
Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Founda ion in Dubai ha ensu es
access o decen housing by p o iding housing loans o buying
u nkey homes, and he Sheikh Saud Housing P og am ha aims o
mee he housing needs o ci izens in Ras Al Khaimah.
Cul u e
Cul u e is a key ha e ec s he UAE‘s impo an adi ions
and he coun y‘s na ional iden i y. Cul u al e en s ha we e hos ed
in he coun y and a ac ed in e na ional in e es om he global
media e eal he cosmopoli an image o he ci ies in he UAE as
well as illus a ing hei success in b idging Eas and Wes . The
cul u al li e in he UAE is e y ich, especially in Abu Dhabi and
Dubai. They hos high-end cul u al ac i i ies which a ac celeb i ies
om all o e he wo ld (such as Ca e Blanche , Richa d Ge e, and
Madonna). The e is a my iad o yea ly es i i ies held such as Abu
Dhabi Film Fes i al, AD Music Fes i al, AD A Hub, and Abu
Dhabi In e na ional Book Fai . In Dubai, he e is a as a ie y o
cul u al ac i i ies o ganized such as Dubai In e na ional Film
Fes i al, A Dubai, Dubai You h Thea e, and Dubai Ope a which
has ecen ly been opened (in 2017) and s a ed o hos high-end
e en s.
Mo eo e , Abu Dhabi‘s 2030 Economic Vision is o p omo e
he he i age, he cul u e, and he adi ions o he Emi a e o Abu
Dhabi wo ldwide h ough he conce ned au ho i ies such as Abu
Dhabi Au ho i y o Cul u e and He i age (ADACH), Abu Dhabi‘s
Saadiya Island Cul u al Dis ic as well as he planned Lou e Abu
Dhabi, Zayed Na ional Museum, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Sha jah hos s many e en s as well such as Sha jah In e na ional
Book Fai and Sha jah Biennale. The pea l o he c own is he
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―Expo 2020‖ which will be hos ed by Dubai. The luc a i e e en
spanning six mon hs is expec ed o a ac mo e han 25 million
isi o s o he UAE unde he heme ―Connec ing Minds, C ea ing
he Fu u e‖.
The p oposed si e o he Wo ld ―Expo 2020‖ Dubai was
chosen as a 438-hec a e si e on he sou h-wes e n edge o he ci y,
known as he Dubai T ade Cen e – Jebel Ali, adjacen o Dubai
Wo ld Cen al ai po .
Social De elopmen
The Minis y o Labo and Social Affai s (MLSA) is
esponsible o ca ying all aspec s o social affai s, including he
ecommenda ion, he implemen a ion, and he e alua ion o policies
and plans on social de elopmen s. In addi ion, he MLSA suppo s
and supe ises he ac i i ies o he NGOs. The go e nmen is
hea ily in es ing in he eld o social de elopmen whe he h ough
communi y de elopmen o communi y o ganiza ion p og ams. So
a , he ou come o hese policies is o a g ea ex en sa is ac o y.
Educa ion
As pe he UAE‘s cons i u ion, he educa ion alls unde he
p e oga i e o he ede al go e nmen ep esen ed by he Minis y o
Educa ion (MoE). In 2016, he go e nmen alloca ed almos 21% o
i s ede al budge o he educa ion sec o o imp o e he sys em by
hi ing acc edi ed eache s and de eloping sma lea ning
en i onmen s. Likewise, he MoE es ablished ―Educa ion 2020,‖ an
ambi ious i e-yea plan designed o imp o e he quali y o he
s uden s‘ lea ning p ocess and he way in which he eache s deli e
cu iculum. The UAE‘s educa ional sys em is di ided in o public
schools, p i a e schools and highe educa ion. The public schools
ollow he A abic cu iculum whe eas he p i a e schools ollow 15
diffe en cu icula.
Abu Dhabi Educa ion Council (ADEC) is he egula o y
body ha p o ides licensing and acc edi a ion o p i a e schools in
Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and he Wes e n Region and se s he minimum
s anda ds o educa ional ou comes besides wo king closely wi h he
MoE in o mula ing he emi a e‘s educa ion plan. Knowledge and
Human De elopmen (KHDA) is esponsible o inspec ing all p i a e
schools in Dubai o ensu e p ope quali y o educa ion, om ea ly
lea ning o highe and con inuing educa ion. As o he es o he
emi a es (Sha jah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujai ah, and Umm Al
Quwain), he MoE moni o s he educa ion sys em a public schools
ocusing on he s anda d and he le el o educa ion.
Conce ning he highe educa ion, he U.A.E. has become an
in e na ional hub wi h in e na ionally ecognized uni e si ies,
mainly om he U.S. and Eu ope, including New Yo k Uni e si y
(NYU), Pa is-So bonne Uni e si y, Ame ican Uni e si y o Dubai
(AUD), Ame ican Uni e si y o Sha jah (AUS), New Yo k Ins i u e
o Technology (NYIT), Roches e Ins i u e o Technology (RIT
Dubai), B i ish Uni e si y, Canadian Uni e si y, Wa e loo
Uni e si y, and Wollongong Uni e si y among many o he s. Dubai‘s
knowledge illage ga he ed in e na ional uni e si ies, aining
cen e s, e-lea ning, esea ch, and de elopmen companies in one
loca ion.
Heal hca e
The UAE‘s heal h sec o has e ol ed apidly in he pas
decade as public and p i a e in es men s boas a highly-de eloped
heal hca e in as uc u e. Heal hca e is p o ided o all UAE ci izens
o ee in he go e nmen hospi als and clinics and is egula ed a
bo h he ede al and emi a e le els. The UAE Minis y o Heal h
was es ablished in 1972 o, among o he hings, license companies
and indi iduals ha p o ide heal hca e se ices, build and manage
heal h acili ies, and egula e a ious a eas o heal hca e. Besides,
he Minis y o e sees he heal hca e sys em in Sha jah, Ras Al
Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujai ah and makes an
effo o imp o e he le el o heal hca e se ices in hese emi a es.
Recen ly, Sha jah has es ablished he Sha jah Heal h Au ho i y. The
Heal h Au ho i y o Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and he Dubai Heal h
Au ho i y (DHA) we e es ablished o egula e heal hca e se ices
and imp o e hei quali y, o de elop medical educa ion and
esea ch, o plan and p omo e heal hca e in es men , and o ope a e
go e nmen ‘s heal hca e acili ies. DHA is au ho ized o egula e all
heal hca e se ices in Dubai, including hose loca ed in he ee
zones: Dubai Heal hca e Ci y and Dubai Bio echnology and
Resea ch Pa k.
The Fede al Law No. 13 o 2009 es ablished he Emi a es
Heal h Au ho i y (EHA), which has egula o y unc ions and
ini ia i es o encou age coope a ion be ween he ede al and local
heal h au ho i ies as well as be ween such au ho i ies and he p i a e
sec o . The EHA is based in Sha jah and wo ks closely wi h he
HAAD in Abu Dhabi and he DHA in Dubai.
Local Economic De elopmen
The ou look o he UAE economy is posi i e despi e he
d op in he oil p ices a he end o 2014. The economy will con inue
o g ow since economic di e si ca ion effo s ha e led o a decline in
he con ibu ion o oil expo s as he pilla o he economy. The
coun y has se i sel a goal o less han a 5% con ibu ion o oil o
he economy by 2021. The UAE emains he second-la ges A ab
economy a e Saudi A abia.
The u u e isions and policies o he Ci ies and
Municipali ies a e o encou age in es men in non-oil ac i i ies o
a ious easons in o de o expand he panoply o local sou ces o
income and o be less dependen on ede al assis ance. This effo is
ma ched by he cen al go e nmen policies ha s imula e he p i a e
sec o and inc ease i s in ol emen in he p o ision o municipal
se ices. The ci y o Abu Dhabi has a s ong economy due o i s
dependence on pe oleum, bu he ci y‘s ision o 2030 will
encou age he di e si ica ion o esou ces, gene a ing ac i i ies ha
a e less dependen on ene gy. The ci y has s imula ed he ac i i ies
and p ojec s in he domains o cul u al ou ism, media, heal h ca e,
inancial se ices, and enewable ene gies. Dubai, being less elian
on pe oleum, is de eloping o he sou ces o income o boos i s
economy and has posi ioned i sel as a egional hub o ade,
anspo , banking, and especially o luxu y ou ism. Sha jah, he
hi d bigges emi a e, has buil up a solid manu ac u ing sec o and
is now ocusing on de eloping g een business and sus ainable
ou ism d i en by ―Shu ooq,‖ he emi a e‘s in es men body.
The smalle emi a es/ci ies a e also e ol ing hei
economies and scal policies h ough dis inguishing hemsel es in
speci ic domains. Ras Al Khaimah has suppo ed he expansion o
he indus ial ac i i ies, being he leade in ce amic and po celain
indus ies as well as in he inancial and a ia ion se ices. While he
ci y o Fujai ah, due o i s s a egic coas line loca ion on he Gul o
Oman ou side he S ai s o Ho muz, has eme ged as a majo oil and
chemical s o age and p oduc s ading hub, i is anked as he
second la ges bunke ing po in he wo ld. Ajman, he smalles
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emi a e in size, has in es ed in high educa ional in as uc u e and
indus y. The emi a e/ci y also encou aged he in low o
in e na ional in es o s by gi ing hem 100% owne ship o eal
es a e. The emi a e/ci y o Umm Al Quwain, adi ionally elian on
indus ies such as cemen , pha maceu icals and glass, has elabo a ed
plans o de elop a sophis ica ed eco ou ism indus y a ound i s
na u al beau y and his o ical si es.
Financial Managemen
The ci ies/municipali ies in he UAE ha e diffe en
capabili ies o c ea e exible bu sus ainable sou ces o e enue
which pe mi hem o imp o e he quali y o he se ices o be
p o ided o hei ci izens. Fo example, he Budge and Financial
Planning Sec o o he Municipali y o Dubai links he ci y goals o
he a ailable nancial esou ces and p epa es he Financial Plan o
he medium and long e m. Mo eo e , i coope a es and
communica es wi h he go e nmen agencies in he Emi a e o ind
op imal ways o achie e inancial sus ainabili y and o mee he
necessa y inancial suppo o go e nmen en i ies in he Emi a e o
Dubai. The ci y‘s di ision wo ks o aise he inancial e iciency o
he go e nmen and makes ecommenda ions on impo an inancial
issues o con ibu e o he Emi a e‘s s a egic economic goals.
En i onmen al Issues: Clima e Change, Wa e /Was e Wa e
Managemen The Fede al En i onmen al Agency (FEA) is
esponsible o he p o ec ion and enhancemen o he en i onmen in
UAE h ough o mula ing and implemen ing he equi ed policies and
plans, supe ising he plans and ac i i ies o diffe en ins i u ions,
acili a ing he necessa y coo dina ion, and p e en ing any nega i e
ac i i ies ha may ha m he en i onmen .
Clima e Change
The UAE‘s Vision 2021 documen lis s he quali y o ai and
wa e esou ces among he op p io i ies in he coun y‘s s a egy.
The UAE s ill akes he 3 place in e ms o i s ecological oo p in
pe capi a as lis ed in he Wo ld Wildli e Fund‘s 2014 Li ing Plane
Repo while Qa a and Kuwai a e in he second and he s place
espec i ely. Popula ion g ow h and ai pollu ion a e he majo
con ibu o s o his si ua ion and pu addi ional p essu e on
in as uc u e as well as wa e and sewage ea men plan s. As a
esul , he UAE is subjec o equen sand and dus s o ms, which
can se e ely educe isibili y. Desaliniza ion plan s compensa e o
he lack o eshwa e esou ces, bu dese i ca ion (land deg ada ion
caused by a idi y) and beach pollu ion om oil spills a e se ious
p oblems.
I is ecommended o o m a na ional en i y o o e see he
p oblems o clima e change. This uni could se policies and plans as
well as adop ing a c oss-sec o al coo dina ion o angible esul s in
his ega d. Local go e nmen needs o demons a e con ol in 3
main a eas:
 Making an effo o push he e o ms a he highe le els o
go e nmen o include he ques ion o clima e change in
he go e nmen ‘s plans and s a egy;
 Se ing a clea a ge o ca bon educ ion o moni o
pe o mance;
 Mo ing beyond mi iga ion o include a ocus on
adap a ion and in eg a ing i in o a wide ange o
go e nmen al en i ies.
Wa e
Clima e change s esses he managemen o wa e esou ces
in he UAE. The long- e m a ia ions in empe a u e and
p ecipi a ion a e expec ed o ha e ad e se effec s on he al eady
agile na u al esou ces. Wi h he U.A.E.‘s wa e demand g owing
annually, he coun y‘s wa e in as uc u e is unde signi can
p essu e. Wi h one o he highes pe -capi a consump ion a es in he
wo ld and d opping g oundwa e ese es, g oundwa e use exceeds
he egene a ing capaci y by a ac o o 15, and, a he same ime,
he demand o wa e is expec ed o g ow 30 pe cen by 2030.
Acco dingly, wa e demand in Abu Dhabi is es ima ed o g ow by 5-
6% pe yea . In Dubai, he DEWA eco ded an inc ease in he
desalina ed wa e p oduc ion capaci y by 17 pe cen in 2012. The
same end is obse ed in Sha jah and o he smalle emi a es whe e
he wa e capaci y is o en ba ely su cien o ca e o he needs o
g owing indus ies and ising popula ions.
The En i onmen Agency in Abu Dhabi es ima es ha he
coun y‘s g oundwa e supply will un ou wi hin 55 yea s i i s use
is no es ic ed and he mi iga ion measu es a e no aken. The
coun y con inues o use g oundwa e a a a e ha is 20 imes
highe han i s abili y o eplenish i .
As he main sou ce o d inking wa e , he UAE is hea ily
elian on desalina ion plan s o wa e p oduc ion; mo e han 90% o
i s po able wa e is p oduced ia desalina ion and is expec ed o
inc ease o 96.5% o all wa e p oduced by 2019.
The e o e, he Minis y o En i onmen and Wa e and he
local en i onmen agencies in he emi a es a e ac i ely p omo ing
wa e conse a ion and ain wa e ha es , p incipally in pa ks and
a ms ep esen ing he highes consump ion a e o he wa e supply
wi h 70%, as well as nding al e na i e ene gy-e cien ways o
p oduce d inking wa e in o de o add ess he high cos o
p oduc ion.
Was ewa e
In he was ewa e sec o , he UAE has adop ed he app oach
o eusing ea ed was ewa e in landscaping, such as i iga ion o
ga dens, g een spaces, and e o es a ion ees, aiming o elie e
p essu e on o he wa e esou ces. The key p ojec unde aken by
Abu Dhabi‘s Sewe age and Se ices Company (ADSSC) is he
S a egic Tunnel Enhancemen P og am (STEP) o collec and ea
was ewa e discha ged om esiden ial, comme cial, and indus ial
buildings. Was ewa e is only e-used a abou 45% while he
emaining 55% is being discha ged in o he en i onmen . Sha jah
Municipali y opened an unde g ound sewage ea men plan in he
emi a e in Ap il 2012, ca e ing o he esiden ial a eas o Al Majaz,
Al Taawun, Al Nahda, and Indus ial A ea 1.
Dubai is in he p ocess o de eloping a signi can unnel
p ojec . In an in e iew wi h ―The Na ional‖ in Oc obe 27, 2016,
he Di ec o Gene al o he Dubai Municipali y men ioned ha he
unnel p ojec comp ises he cons uc ion o wo deep unnels
unde nea h he ci y wi h a combined leng h o 75km, suppo ed by
140km o sewe s and pumping s a ions ( om Bu Dubai o Jebel
Ali and om Dei a o Al Wa san ea men plan ). The unnel dep hs
anges om e me e s o 90m, and he unnels may be up o 10m
wide. This allows o a ain sys em o be ins alled ha can be used
in he p olonged d y pe iods o anspo ca go unde he ci y.
Mo eo e , all u u e p ojec s can be plugged in o his d ainage
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ne wo k, which would emo e he equi emen o he 140 exis ing
pumping s a ions.
U ban Planning
U ban and land use planning a e he amewo k ha could
manage g ow h, dec ease p essu e on u u e demands o lands, and
ensu e sus ainabili y. Due o he phenomenal de elopmen in many
sec o s o i s u ban li e, he UAE has expe ienced majo changes in
land uses, and mos o hem ook place in he coas al a eas.
Municipali ies a e he au ho i ies ha a e esponsible o u ban
planning in he UAE, excep o Abu Dhabi whe e he Abu Dhabi
U ban Planning Council (AD-UPC) is he agency esponsible o he
u u e o he emi a e‘s u ban en i onmen s and he expe au ho i y
behind Abu Dhabi 2030 U ban S uc u e F amewo k Plan. The
U ban Planning Council de nes he shape o he emi a es and
ensu es ac o s such as sus ainabili y, in as uc u e capaci y,
communi y planning, and quali y o li e by o e seeing de elopmen
ac oss he ci y and he whole emi a e. The UPC ensu es bes planning
p ac ices o bo h new ex ensions and exis ing u ban a eas and
manages he sus ainable u ban g ow h o he emi a e by c ea ing
u ban s a egies, mas e plans, policies, and egula ions. I de elops
co espondingly he necessa y p ocedu es o de elopmen app o al
by wo king closely wi h he s akeholde s o he public and p i a e
sec o s.
The U ban S uc u e F amewo k Plan p o ides concep ual
solu ions o shape he g ow h o Abu Dhabi o e he nex qua e o
a cen u y. These solu ions s add ess he majo issues ha shape
he u ban o m— he en i onmen , land use, anspo a ion, and he
capi al ci y image. The plan‘s key di ec ions include sus ainabili y,
en i onmen al uniqueness, e ol ing cul u e, iden i y, and
oppo uni y, excellence and li abili y, and connec i i y.
The emi a e o Dubai has become an in e na ional hub and
has expe ienced emendous u ban g ow h o e he pas wo decades.
I has pu sued an agg essi e economic di e si ca ion agenda, a he
co e o which was an immense, hea ily- unded p og am o u ban
de elopmen , and in e na ionalized eal es a e ma ke s. The a ay o
mega-p ojec s unde way in ecen yea s has b ough cons uc ion and
eal es a e o he o e on as wo o he mos impo an non-oil
sec o s in he ci y‘s economy. Unlike Abu Dhabi, Dubai has no
upda ed he U ban Mas e Plan ( he Dubai 2020) ha en isioned o
make.
Dubai as a mode n A ab ci y and a ib an egional
ga eway o p omo e social, economic, and en i onmen al
sus ainabili y o add ess anspo a ion, housing affo dabili y,
cul u al in eg a ion. Ne e heless, he ci y‘s u ban de elopmen plan
will need o be e ised conside ing he impac o he new oil p ices
and he in e na ional economic ends as well as he Expo 2020.
The Depa men s o Planning in smalle ci ies a e also ac i e
in and a e esponsible o he a eas such as planning and
mode niza ion as well as he u u e esiden ial de elopmen s o he
g owing popula ions and o he land use such as adminis a i e and
indus ial. Ras Al Khaimah wen o a mo e comp ehensi e app oach
by elabo a ing he ci y‘s S uc u e Plan.
T anspo a ion
The UAE main ains a s ong ocus on he expansion and
main enance o an e cien anspo a ion sys em. The sys em is
composed o po s, ai po s, e cien oad and public anspo a ion
ne wo ks. They ha e suppo ed a s a egic plan aimed a de eloping
he UAE in o a majo anspo hub. Despi e he exis ence o 3
ai po s in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sha jah, he Dubai In e na ional
Ai po is one o he as es g owing ai anspo hubs in he wo ld,
se ing mo e han 15 million passenge s yea ly. As o ma i ime
anspo , Dubai, wi h Jebel Ali, Po Rashid, Ham iya Po , and
Dubai C eek, se es mo e han 13,000 essels each yea and handles
a signi can sha e o he wo ld‘s shipping ca go . Abu Dhabi and
Sha jah ha e majo po s as well as po s o he expo o c ude oil,
e ined p oduc s, and pe ochemicals. Mo eo e , he public
anspo a ion wi nessed a signi can de elopmen only in he las
decade due o he ac ha he local people use only hei p i a e
ehicles o commu ing. The ci y o Dubai was he mos ad anced in
e ms o i s Su ace T anspo a ion Mas e Plan whose ocus is on
p o iding he ci y wi h al e na i e o ms o public anspo a ion.
Speci c plans include a g id o boule a ds ins ead o la ge eeways
o dissipa e a c ow, ully au oma ed am and me o ne wo ks,
inc ease in he bus ne wo k, and he en ichmen o pedes ian
mo emen in he ci y wi h he momen ous ―Ci y Walk‖ p ojec .
Once comple e, he anspo sys em will be an in eg a ed ne wo k o
highways/ me o/ am se ices wi h a pa allel sys em o acili ies o
buses/ axis/bicycles, which will be he s comp ehensi e u ban
anspo a ion ne wo k in he A abian Peninsula.
Challenges and Oppo uni ies
Au ho i y and Subsidia i y P inciples
The powe s o he a ious ede al ins i u ions and hei
ela ionship wi h he sepa a e local ins i u ions ha e changed since
he es ablishmen o he s a e. Unde he e ms o he Cons i u ion,
he ule s may elinquish ce ain a eas o au ho i y, on a s a egic
le el, o he Fede al Go e nmen . The ela ionship be ween he
ede al and he local sys ems o he go e nmen con inues o e ol e.
As he smalle emi a es ha e bene ed om educa ion, o example,
hey ha e also been able o ec ui pe sonnel o local go e nmen
se ices ha we e once handled on hei behal by he ede al
ins i u ions. These new sys ems o go e nmen ha e no , howe e ,
eplaced he adi ional o ms ha coexis alongside. The key d i e
behind such de elopmen s emains he pe o mance and e ciency in
he deli e y o se ices o ci izens and he expa ia e popula ion
esiding in he UAE. The key ocus o his s a egy o he UAE
go e nmen was o c ea e syne gy be ween he ede al and he local
go e nmen s. O he p inciples include e i alizing he egula o y
and policy-making oles o he minis ies and imp o ing hei
decision-making mechanisms, inc easing he e iciency o
go e nmen al bodies and upg ading hei se ices in acco dance
wi h he needs o he people as well as e iewing and upg ading he
exis ing legisla ion.
The UAE go e nmen s a egy o 2011-2013 clea ly
iden i ies and in eg a es ede al and local effo s and c ea es syne gy
be ween he ede al and he local go e nmen s. I also mee s he
goals o he Vision 2021 and s i es o ensu e ha all go e nmen
wo k is conduc ed acco ding o a se o guiding p inciples ha pu s
ci izens s and p omo es an accoun able, inno a i e, and o wa d-
looking go e nmen . Some o he se en p inciples ha s ee
go e nmen wo k a e:
 Imp o ing he ole o he ede al en i ies in o mula ing
effec i e egula ions and in eg a ed policies by success ul
planning and en o cemen ;
 Boos ing effec i e coo dina ion and coope a ion among
he ede al en i ies and wi h he local go e nmen s;
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