Minister Al Roumi Reaffirms UAE's Commitment To Future Readiness And Global Partnerships

Minister of State for Government Development and the Future Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi emphasized the UAE's dedication to future preparedness and global cooperation to create a better world.

She stressed the importance of taking immediate action to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world. While countries may face different or similar issues, the shared goal is to ensure future generations inherit a secure, prosperous and sustainable world.

Al Roumi made these remarks during a session with participants in the 2nd Global Government Leaders Program (GGLP). The program includes visits to various government entities and national projects to learn about the UAE's best practices and achievements in key strategic areas.

The minister stressed that the UAE's focus on future-readiness goes back to the country's early days. She gave the example of the UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who started the ambitious project of greening the desert long before sustainability became a major global issue.

"Our wise leaders today continue to build on this legacy," Al Roumi said, WAM reported. "Foreseeing a future beyond oil, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced nearly a decade ago that the UAE's export of its last barrel should be a moment of celebration."

Another example mentioned was the early launch of e-government in 2000 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which helped position the UAE as a leader in the digital economy and digital governance.

Al Roumi spoke about major global trends shaping the future, such as the growth of the digital economy, the importance of cybersecurity, sustainability, and the changing skills needed.

She emphasized the need for governments to update their policies and regulations to support new industries, while ensuring inclusivity and ethical standards, especially in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The minister described the UAE's active efforts to prepare for the future, which include several initiatives. One is the UAE Future Mission, a platform for working with government entities to create high-quality, future-ready projects.

The Jahiz program aims to help federal government employees develop important future skills. Furthermore, the Future Readiness Seal is given to projects with great foresight and innovation, measurable results, and impact.

Participants in the 2nd cohort of the GGLP come from 31 countries, namely: Azerbaijan, Mongolia, the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, Bermuda, Ethiopia, Georgia, the Maldives, Andorra, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Barbados, Romania, Costa Rica, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Fiji, Rwanda, Senegal, Colombia, Paraguay, Brazil, Turkmenistan, Guyana, Brunei, Malta, Zimbabwe and Serbia.

The program empowers first- and second-tier government leaders from participating countries to enhance their leadership and management skills. Through a series of field visits, the program helps participants to gain insights on project management approaches and best practices to improve government performance in their own countries.