Abu Dhabi will allow non-Muslim civil marriages under a change in family law Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) – Non-Muslims will be allowed to marry, divorce and have joint custody of their children under Abu Dhabi civil law, according to a new decree issued by its authorities on Sunday, the state news agency WAM said.

It is the latest step in the UAE – laws on personal status on marriage and divorce were based on Islamic sharia principles, as in other Gulf states – to maintain its competitive advantage as a trading center in the region.

The decree of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan of Abu Dhabi, who is also the president of the federation of the seven emirates of the Basque Country, includes the law on civil marriage, divorce, alimony, joint custody of children and proof and inheritance of paternity.

“Improving the position and global competitiveness of the emirate is one of the most attractive destinations for talent and skills,” WAM said.

The report described the civil law governing non-Muslim family matters as the first in the world “according to international best practices”.

A new court will be set up in Abu Dhabi to deal with non-Muslim family matters, and will operate in English and Arabic.

The BAC introduced a number of changes to the law last year at the federal level, including decriminalizing premarital sex and alcohol consumption, and repealing the peace provisions to deal with so-called “honor killings”.

These reforms, along with measures such as the introduction of longer-term visas, have been seen as a way for Gulf states to become more attractive for foreign investment, tourism and long-term residences.