Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA celebrates International Day of Law 2023

To mark International Day of Law 2023, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised a virtual forum under the theme ‘Rule of Law and Sustainability’. The forum included several activities, panel discussions, awareness newsletters, and cultural competitions. It aimed to enrich the knowledge of DEWA’s employees on legal aspects and DEWA’s policy that aims at achieving legitimacy and the rule of law, within a framework of institutional flexibility and agility to achieve sustainable development.

“The International Day of Law, which falls on the 13th  of September every year, has become an important platform to recall the importance and status of the law as one of the main pillars upon which the United Arab Emirates was established, as the UAE has been keen to issue legislations that keeps pace with the process of anticipating and shaping the future, and complements the insightful vision of the leadership, which made the government an authority to serve people and not an authority over them, considering the happiness of customers as the first measure of its success. From this standpoint, DEWA is keen to enhance the legal knowledge of the various stakeholders and educate them about all that would indicate the importance of the role of law for them, by establishing and preserving the principles of justice, governance and transparency, to make the UAE in general and the Emirate of Dubai in particular, a role model, in the legislative and legal structure that keeps pace with the requirements of the ambitious development process,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, during the virtual forum.

“In this context, we affirm our commitment to the Eight Principles launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in which he stated that ‘No one is above law’, as law has a large and effective role in achieving balance and equality, which enhances the sense of security and safety among citizens and residents alike. In conjunction with the Year of Sustainability,  and the countdown to host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28), at Expo City Dubai in November  of this year, we affirm the UAE's continuous approach to adopting all sustainable development goals, among which comes Goal No. 16 entitled ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’, by laying solid foundations for modernising the legislative system and providing sustainable and balanced legislation that meets the requirements of the comprehensive development process in Dubai and supports national aspirations to enhance the flexibility of legislation, according to a proactive vision that makes the Emirate of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates among the countries most ready and prepared for the future,” added Al Tayer.

“In DEWA, the law is a key element in managing all the functions and operations of DEWA, through adherence to approved government policies and applicable legislation, in order to keep pace with the development produced by various aspects of life, and to consolidate the principles of good governance, the rule of law, and the sustainability of legislation, in order to reach the highest levels of integrity and transparency, and the achievement of justice, equality and equal opportunities among members of society and its groups. In conclusion, the celebration of ‘International Day of Law’ by the Legal Affairs of DEWA is in recognition of Dubai & UAE’s relentless efforts to be among the most developed countries in the world, in various indicators, which enhances the country’s vision to be the most sustainable place at the global level,” concluded Al Tayer.

Yousif Elhassan Badi, Chief Legal Advisor at DEWA, highlighted that DEWA follows up on all its operations as part of a clear standard, related to its policy to achieve legality and sovereignty of law. This is through all its activities among its divisions, especially the Legal Affairs department. DEWA adheres to justice among all stakeholders inside and outside DEWA, including its staff, and throughout its administrative and financial operations and various activities on all levels.

The forum featured several awareness sessions, including ‘Child Rights Law (Wadeema)’ by Aishah Obaid Haddadi, Legal Advisor at DEWA; ‘Rule of law and Sustainability’ by Amna Khalid Almheiri, Legal Researcher at DEWA; ‘Climate Change and Rules’ by Rabiya Aslam Shaikh, Document Controller at the Legal Affairs Department in DEWA; and ‘Role of Legal Technology in Shaping a Sustainable Future’ by Hichem Cherif, Executive Coordinator at the Legal Affairs Department in DEWA.