The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered a 70% pension increase for military personnel, local media said on Wednesday.

The order by President Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, released by state news agency Wam and published in newspapers, includes bonuses for Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces staff and is effective in March.

Last week, the UAE said it would hold its second-ever election to the advisory Federal National Council (FNC) in September, in a cautious step towards political reform in a federation run almost exclusively by its ruling families.

The FNC election in 2006 had 6,600 voters, including 1,160 women, and accounted for less than 1 percent of the population.

 

Source: Reuters