KHALEEJ TIMES, Sunday, Mar 21, 2021 | Shaaban 7, 1442
UAE launches Govt experience exchange programme
Emirates:
The UAE government has launched the UAE-Africa government experience
exchange programme, aiming to share successful experience in government
modernisation, enabling the African continent to keep pace with global
trends and opportunities for development.
The programme was launched in partnership with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the African Peer Review Mechanism of the African Union (AU-APRM).
It included a ministerial dialogue featuring a number of ministers, government
officials, and experts from the UAE, nine African countries, AU-APRM, and the
United Nations. The meetings focused on six main themes, namely: Future
Readiness, Government Excellence and Capabilities, Strategy and Innovation,
Government Services, Food Security, and Economic Transformation.
Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State participated in the
dialogue along with Ohood bint khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for
Government Development and the Future, Gloria Akobundu, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM
in Nigeria, and an array of African ministers and UAE officials.
The dialogue and high-level discussions reflected strong ties and shared values
of innovation, determination, and cooperation, between participating governments
to exchange experiences and discusse opportunities for greater collaboration to
design the next-generation governance.
The UAE-Africa ministerial dialogue focused on promoting partnerships between
the UAE and African countries, in addition to exchanging knowledge and
successful experiences; in particular, UAE government work model, accelerators,
excellence, and innovation which will aid governments in their aim to achieve
the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063.
The partnerships also aim to support partner countries find innovative solutions
promoting the development process and achieve shared prosperity.
Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, reaffirmed that UAE’s
leadership is committed to strengthening the strategic partnership with Africa,
which is based on equality, fraternity, and mutual respect and reflects
longstanding cultural, trade, and social relations. He praised efforts of
African Union Member States to build a better future.
Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and
the Future, said that the Experience Exchange Programme between UAE Government
and the African Union reflects the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, to build partnerships and develop government work model globally.
He reterated UAE Government keenness on sharing its advanced experiences,
knowledge, and innovative work model with governments in order to achieve global
objectives. She added; “It is especially important in such times of great
challenge, that we remain committed and focused on the path ahead. As nations,
we need to show agility to deal with rapid changes and the resilience to remain
focused on our development goals.”
The Honourable Princess Gloria Akobundu, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM in Nigeria,
said: “We welcome the UAE engagement to support the national development
planning in Africa” and further added; “we nedd to focus on specific topics
under national planning and policy design, such as climate change, food
security, women empowerment, and government leadership programs.”
High-level participants from African countries included Dr Fitsum Asefa Adela,
Minister in Charge of the Planning and Development Commission in the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Richard Tusabe, Minister of State in Charge of
the National Treasury in the Republic of Rwanda; Andrew David Adejo, Permanent
Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in
the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Joel Saitoti Torome, Permanent Secretary of
Planning in the Republic of Kenya; Dr Jonathan Titus-Williams, Deputy Minister
of Planning and Economic Development in the Republic of Sierra Leone; Madam
Marian Kpakpah, Chief Director for Planning in the Ministry of Planning in the
Republic of Ghana; Amira El Fadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs in the
African Union; and the Honourable Princess Gloria Akobundu, CEO of
AUDA-NEPAD/APRM in Nigeria.
The programme’s high-level discussions witnessed participation of; Mohammed bin
Taliah, UAE Chief of Government Services; Huda Al Hashimi, UAE Chief of Strategy
and Government Innovation; Dr Yasir Al Naqbi, assistant director-general for
Leadership and Government Capabilities in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry
of Cabinet Affairs; Khalid Al Harmoodi, executive director of Government
Performance in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs; Marwan
Al Zaabi, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab Government Excellence Award
and Director of the Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Program; Dr Radheya Al
Hashimi, Director of the UAE Government Accelerators in the Prime Minister’s
Office, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs; Ahmad Lootah, acting director of the UAE
Government Leaders Programme in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Cabinet
Affairs; Essa AlHashemi, Head of the Food and Water Security Office; and Haif Al
Hammadi, executive director of Business and Corporate Strategy at Tecom Group
from the UAE.
Additionally, senior officials and experts from the Republic of Angola, the
Republic of Botswana, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic
of Ghana, the Republic of Kenya, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic
of Rwanda, the Republic of Sierra Leone, and the Republic of South Africa
engaged in discussions and experience sharing.
During sessions, UAE Government participants highlighted the development
initiatives launched over the past years, focusing on enhancing strategic
leadership, designing future policies, and following up on their implementation
focusing on achieving national vision and priorities. They further show-cased
UAE government work methodology to achieve excellence in providing government
services to customers, by involving them in designing and proposing ideas that
contribute to accelerating digital transformation and shifting towards a
proactive services model. In addition, UAE speakers addressed the need to
establish an advanced government database for national skills and talents to
discover and develop future leaders.
Participants also discussed the importance of enhancing government performance
by setting national KPIs and goals to be achieved within a specific period,
studying results and assessing government entities’ achievements. Speakers
showcased UAE Government Excellence Model and its updates, focusing on specific
pillars building future government, including: enablers, vision realization, and
value proposition. The interactive sessions tackled the 100-day challenge
methodology adopted by the UAE Government Accelerators.
Speakers highlighted strategic plans designed by UAE government to achieve food
security and stressed the importance of promoting cooperation globally, applying
state-of-the-art technologies, publishing scientific researches to develop food
security initiatives, in addition to investing in human capital, creating future
employment opportunities and empowering SMEs.
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