Cabinet Decision No. 29 dated 19/8/2014

Federal Decree-Law No. 3 dated 11/07/2021

The following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:

State: United Arab Emirates.

Ministry: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Minister: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Academy: Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA).

Board: Board of Trustees of the Academy.

Chairman: The Chairman of the Board.

Director-General: Director-General of the Academy.

An academy called the "Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy" shall be established under this Law, and shall enjoy legal personality. It shall have financial and administrative autonomy and full legal capacity to act in a manner to ensure the achievement of its objectives.

The headquarters of the Academy shall be in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Branches or offices thereof may be established within the State by a decision of the Board.

The Academy aims to:

1. Support the Ministry in the field of international and diplomatic relations, and international cooperation to achieve the State strategy.

2. Work on the qualification, training and upgrading of the members of the diplomatic and consular corps and employees of the Ministry and other concerned entities.

3. Build a knowledge and advisory base in the field of international and diplomatic relations.

The Academy shall have the following powers:

1. Increasing and developing knowledge, and showing the role of the State in the field of international and diplomatic relations, and related sectors.

2. Preparing and qualifying members of the diplomatic and consular corps and employees of the Ministry and students in the Academy from the other Ministries and entities, including the technical and military attachés in the fields of international and diplomatic relations.

3. Preparing and implementing educational and training programs in the diplomatic fields in their political, economic, social, legal, protocol, security and technical dimensions, in accordance with the emerging requirements of the diplomatic personnel and in line with the foreign policy of the State, in coordination with the relevant authorities.

4. Granting scientific degrees and certificates in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in the State.

5. Holding and participating in conferences, seminars, meetings and workshops.

6. Providing advice in the areas of the work of the Academy to any local or international entity.

7. Issuing and publishing publications including research and studies and what is to be published about the activities of the Academy, as required by the nature of the work of the Academy.

8. Cooperating with the official and private entities related to its objectives within and outside the State.

9. Concluding agreements and memorandums of understanding with scientific and academic institutions inside and outside the State for cooperation in the fields of curricula, training, dissemination of scientific production, research and exchange of faculty members.

10. Acting as a think tank and a centre for studies, preparation and financing of research and reports on international and diplomatic relations and monitoring attitudes and views on the most important issues of concern to the State.

11. Providing technical and advisory support to the Ministry.

Any other tasks assigned thereto by the Minister or the Board.

1. The Academy shall be managed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by the Minister and composed of a number of experienced and competent members, including two members of the current and former diplomatic and consular corps. Their appointment and determination of their number and remuneration shall be made by a decision of the Council of Ministers.

2. The term of membership shall be three years, subject to renewal for other similar periods.

3. The Director-General shall attend the meetings of the Board of Trustees, participate in the discussion, and present what he deems without having a counted vote.

4. The Board shall have a Secretary who shall prepare its agenda in coordination with the Chairman or his delegate, record the minutes of its meetings and follow up the implementation of its decisions without having a counted vote in the deliberations.

5. The Board shall issue the by-laws of its working system, the procedures of its meetings and the manner of voting on its resolutions. It may invite those it deems appropriate to attend its meetings without having a counted vote.

The Board may form or appoint an advisory body entrusted with the study of certain subjects within its competence and submit its recommendations thereto to decide what it deems appropriate. The Board shall issue the necessary decisions to regulate the progress of the work.

The board is the supreme authority responsible for the affairs of the Academy, the conduct of its affairs, the achievement of its objectives and the implementation of the policies for which it was established. In particular, it may:

1. Set the general policy of the Academy in the light of the State strategy and foreign policy and supervise its implementation.

2. Approve the plans and programs of the Academy, review and evaluate the extent of their application on an annual basis.

3. Adopt admission policies, study systems and programs, and graduation requirements.

4. Adopt the system of tuition fees and training programs and services performed by the Academy.

5. Adopt a system of rewarding lecturers, trainers, technical supervisors and the incentive system and determine the rewards granted to those in charge of academic affairs and researchers.

6. Approve the granting of degrees and scientific certificates in accordance with the regulations and instructions issued by the Board in this regard.

7. Delegate some of the academic competencies related to the qualification, training and preparation of diplomats and employees in the Ministry and students of the Academy to a local or international entity to provide educational programs, qualification and training in the Academy and conclude the necessary agreements.

8. Approve the organisational structure of the Academy and the administrative, technical, financial and human resources regulations.

9. Approve the draft annual budget and final account of the Academy and submit them to the Council of Ministers for approval.

10. Appoint senior officials of the Academy in accordance with its organisational structure and determine their remuneration, salaries and allowances.

11. Appoint internal and external auditors for the accounts of the Academy, consultants and experts and determine their fees.

12. Approve the opening of the bank accounts of the Academy and identify those authorized to manage and dispose of them.

13. Approve the ownership, rent and lease of real estate for the work of the Academy.

14. Appoint the Secretary of the Board.

15. Accept or reject donations, gifts or grants granted to the Academy.

16. Any other tasks assigned thereto by the Minister.

The Board may delegate some of its members or one of its committees to exercise some of its functions.

The Academy shall have a Director-General who shall be appointed by a decision of the Chairman after the Board’s approval.

The Director-General shall exercise the necessary powers to manage the Academy and supervise its affairs and represent it in its relations with others and before courts. In particular, it shall have the following powers:

1. Prepare plans and strategies and submit them to the Board for approval and follow up their implementation.

2. Prepare bylaws and regulations related to financial, administrative and technical affairs, human resources, organisational structure and job description and submit them to the Board for approval.

3. Prepare plans and programs of work and related projects and submit them to the Board for approval.

4. Propose the plans and programs of the Academy as well as admission policies, study systems and graduation requirements and submit them to the Board for approval.

5. Prepare the draft annual budget and final account of the Academy and submit them to the Board.

6. Supervise the organisational departments and units of which the Academy is made up and prepare periodic and annual reports related to all the activities and events of the Academy and submit them to the Board.

7. Appoint the staff of the Academy and issue decisions concerning their functional affairs in accordance with the administrative and financial regulations of the Academy.

8. Approve financial transactions as stipulated in the financial regulations in force at the Academy.

9. Propose a system of tuition fees and training programs and services performed by the Academy and submit them to the Board for approval.

10. Any other tasks assigned thereto by the Board.

The Academy shall have an administrative and educational staff with outstanding academic qualifications and diplomatic experience, and its members shall be appointed according to the Academy's Human Resources Regulation.

The Director-General may delegate some of his powers to one or more senior officers of the Academy as determined by the Academy's Regulations.

The financial resources of the Academy shall consist of the following:

1. The annual appropriations allocated thereto in the general budget of the State.

2. Savings achieved in the budget for previous fiscal years.

3. Annual revenues and returns earned against tuition and training fees, services performed, consultancy and research it publishes.

4. Donations, gifts and grants approved by the Board.

5. Any other revenue generated by the exercise of its activities.

The Academy shall have an independent budget. The fiscal year of the Academy shall commence on the 1st of January and end on the 31st of December of each year. The first fiscal year shall start on the date of entry into force of this Law and shall end on the 31st of December of the following year.

The funds of the Academy shall be regarded as public funds and shall be exempted from all fees and taxes.

1. The Academy shall have one or more auditors who are licensed to practice the profession in the State to audit the accounts of the Academy, provided that the appointment of the auditor and the determination of his remuneration shall be decided by the Board for a period of one year renewable.

2. The appointed auditor may not combine his work with membership of the Board or any other work in the Academy.

1. Until the issuance of the Regulation of Employees in the Academy, the employees of the Academy shall be subject to the provisions of the Human Resources Regulations in force in the independent federal authorities.

2. Tenders, auctions, purchases and contracts made or concluded by the Academy shall be subject to special regulations established by the Board for this purpose.

The Chairman of the Board shall issue the regulations and decisions necessary to implement the provisions of this Law.

Any provision contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Law shall be abrogated.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of the day following the date of its publication.

Issued at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi,