UAE elects first female Speaker

Dr Amal Al Qubaisi has become the first woman in the Arab world to be elected Speaker of a national council.

She was elected uncontested Speaker of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal National Council (FNC) in the 16th legislative term of the house in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Dr Al Qubaisi who is serving her third term as FNC member, had made history before when she was appointed the first female member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, local daily Gulf News reported.

An architect by profession, she was the first woman to be elected to the Council in 2006. She was also named the first woman Deputy Speaker and was the first woman to chair one of its meetings in 2013.