UAE paved its way into the future, says HH Sheikh Mohammed

WAM -- The UAE has paved its way into the future and has built a generation of innovative and excellent achievers and leaders who deserve to be celebrated," said Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as he attended the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award ceremony at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

He congratulated the winners, adding, "We see in this ceremony a prime opportunity for galvanising efforts and channelling them to move our nation forward towards excellence, and to serve our people and maintain the UAE’s leading position in all sectors and at all levels."

He said that the fourth-generation Government Excellence System was developed in the UAE but "it has now gone global as it is comprehensive, future-focussed and encourages innovation and progress. It is a uniquely Emirati achievement and a role model for governments the world over. Today, we honour pioneers of excellence in our government, pioneers who have achieved excellent results as measured by the Government Excellence System, which tracks and evaluates the work of all government departments.

"Under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE, the country has made great strides in its race to the top spot in various sectors. We believe excellence is an ever-evolving journey, one we can build through expertise and experiences to devise forward-looking plans and formulate solutions for the challenges that face us," he added.

"We maintain a realistic outlook regarding excellence, which we do not view as an achievement, but rather a challenge. The achievement is the future that we build for the people of the UAE," H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid added.

"People are at the very core of government work. Their well-being and happiness are the objective and the end goal. That is the main criterion for measuring government excellence," he noted.

The award ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman; H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Qaiwain; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras al-Khaimah; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Dhiyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and several ministers, officials and decision makers in the federal government.

In the Leading Federal Entity category, four entities were awarded: The Ministry of Interior won in the Ministries with More Than 500 Employees sub-category (H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, received the award), while the Ministry of Economy won in the Ministries with Less Than 500 Employees sub-category (Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, received the award).

Meanwhile, the UAE General Authority of Civil Aviation won in the Federal Bodies with More Than 500 Employees sub-category (Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Authority, and Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi, Director-General of the Authority, received the award), and the Securities and Commodities Authority won in the Federal Bodies with Less Than 500 Employees sub-category (Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Authority, and Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi, Acting Managing Director of the Authority, received the award).

In the Best Entity in the Field of Enablers category – granted to the entity with the "best result in the enablers’ pillar" – the award went to the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (TRA), where Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Director General of the Authority, received the award, as well as to the Ministry of Interior, where Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, received the award.

Meanwhile, in the Best Entity in the Field of Innovation category – granted to the entity with the best result in the innovation pillar – the award went to both the Ministry of Finance (represented by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Minister of Finance, and Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs), as well as the Ministry of Interior (represented by Major General Nasser Salem Lakhraibani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of His Highness the Minister of Interior).

Moreover, in the Best Entity in Services Provision category – granted to the entity with the best result in the main criteria (seven stars services) within the scope of the achievement of the vision pillar – the winners were the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments (represented by Dr. Mohammed Mattar Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Commission), and the Ministry of Interior (represented by Colonel Nasser al-Kaabi).

In the Best Entity in the Field of Smart Government category – granted to the entity with the best result in the main criteria (Smart Government) within the scope of the achievement of the vision pillar – the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation won the award, which was received by Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

As for the Happiest Work Environment category – granted to the entity with the best result in the main criteria (human capital) within the scope of the enablers’ pillar – the Federal Demographic Council won the award (represented by Major General Nasser Salem Lakhraibani Al Nuaimi), while the Securities and Commodities Authority (represented by Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Commodities Authority) won in the Best Entity in Managerial and Financial Governance category – granted to the entity with the best result in the main criteria (governance) within the scope of the enablers’ pillar.

Meanwhile, three entities took the award in the Best Achievement of National Agenda category – granted to the entity/group of entities with the best results in implementing the National Agenda: The Ministry of Interior (represented by H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior) for its Road-Death Index; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation(represented by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation) for its Government Development Fund Index; and the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (TRA) (represented by Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Director General of the Authority) for its E-Services/Smart Index.

Elsewhere, the Emirates Identity Authority won in the Best Entity in Stars System Classification category – granted to the entity with the best result in the stars system classification within the scope of the main criteria (seven stars services) – and Dr. Saeed Abdullah Al Ghafli, Director General of the Authority received the award.

Meanwhile, in the Best Joint Service category – granted to the group of entities with the best result in assessment criteria related to improving a joint service – the Ministry of Interior, in partnership with the Insurance Authority won the award for their Federal Vehicle Portal "Markabati". The award was received by Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al Raisi, General Inspector of the Ministry of Interior, and Ibrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, Director General of the Insurance Authority.

:: Special Honours H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum awarded memorial shields to the entities that have excelled in their fields. The Ministry of Education won the award for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme, which aims to create an integrated educational environment in schools involving students, parents, school administrators, and teachers. Hussein bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, received the shield on behalf of the ministry.

Similarly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation won for succeeding – under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – in securing visa-free travel for UAE citizens in the Schengen area. Mohammed Mir Abdullah Al Raisi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received the memorial shield.

:: The UAE Medal of Pride H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum awarded the UAE Medal of Pride to Sheikha Maryam bint Sultan Al Nahyan, describing her as a role model for young Emiratis in loyalty and devotion, which reflects the values of her grandfather, H.H. the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Sheikha Maryam is a philanthropist and oversees many cultural, educational, and artistic initiatives in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE.

Sheikha Maryam is Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi-based Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, as well as Curator of the UAE Pavilion in the Venice Biennale. Over the past five years, she has played an instrumental role in the success of many culture- and heritage-related government initiatives, which has led her to head The Higher Committee for UAE National Day Celebrations since its 40th anniversary in 2011.

Additionally, and as a result of her faith in the power of education, Sheikha Maryam serves as Co-Chair of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Programme (SMSP) at New York University – Abu Dhabi.

Receiving the medal on behalf of Sheikha Maryam was her brother, Sheikh Diab bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid also granted the UAE Medal of Pride to Yousef Al Otaiba, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United States of America since 2008; Lana Nusseibeh, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations since 2013; Dr. Sumaya Al Balushi, the Director for Nursing Administration in the Ministry of Health and Prevention; and Mohammed Abdullah Qaid, who has won 40 medals in the Paralympics.

Similarly, the UAE Medal of Pride was awarded to Manal Abdullah Ahmed Al Shehhi, the Principal of a public school administered by the Ministry of Education; Najla Abdullah Al Darwishi Al Shamsi, a District Director at the Ministry of Education; Noura Khalifa Mohammed Al Kutbi, the first Emirati woman to receive a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympics; and Zayed Hamad Al Tamimi, the deaf Emirati national who specialised in "Deaf Studies" in the USA and co-founded the UAE Deaf Association.

:: Prime Minister’s Medals The Prime Minister’s Medal for the Most Distinguished Doctor went to Dr. Elham Al Amiri from the Ministry of Health and Prevention, while the medal for Most Distinguished Teacher went to Hayat Mohammed Al Shehhi from the Ministry of Education.

The Prime Minister’s Medal for the Best Customer Service Employee, meanwhile, went to Moza Al Yamahi from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and Colonel Ahmed Al Hamoudi from the Ministry of Interior won the medal for Most Distinguished Service Center Director.

Moreover, the Prime Minister’s Medal for the Most Innovative Employee went to Eng. Mariam Hareb Al Muhairi, Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Nature Conservation Affairs, while the medal for the Best Specialised Employee went to Dr. Fatima Al Jasmi from the United Arab Emirates University. In addition, both Eng. Amani Al Mansouri from Sheikh Zayed Housing and Amna Al Kindi from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation won the medal for Best Field Employee.

The Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Technical/Technological Employee went to Wafa Al Awadi from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, while Halima Al Matroushi from the Ministry of Interior won the medal for Best Administrative Employee. Elsewhere, Khalifa Al Dhaheri from the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments won the medal for Most Distinguished New Employee, while Dr. Wadha Al Nuaimi, Assistant Secretary General of the Demographics Sector at the Federal Demographic Structure Council, won the medal for Best Supervisory Employee.

The Prime Minister’s Medal for the Best Director-General went to Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, while the medal for Best Undersecretary went to Younis Haji Al Khouri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance.

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had launched the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award on 24th June, 2009, as part of the Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Programme – the first holistic government excellence programme at the federal level, which aims to position the UAE Government as one of the best in the world.

WAM/MMYS