UAE Officials Urge Enhanced Participation In The Zero Bureaucracy Award For Improved Governance

The Ministry of Interior, in partnership with the Prime Minister's Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, recently hosted a meeting for the Zero Government Bureaucracy (ZGB) Programme. Officials emphasised the need for increased involvement from government employees and teams in the 'Zero Bureaucracy Award'. This award, initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aims to honour entities that streamline government processes and reduce regulatory burdens.

Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, underscored the wide reach of the ‘Zero Bureaucracy Award’. It involves 30 federal agencies and 600 teams, with prizes totalling AED7 million. She encouraged active participation to achieve meaningful outcomes aligned with the UAE's governance goals.

Mohammed bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government, reiterated that simplifying administrative procedures is crucial to achieving world-class government operations. The ZGB Programme, led by the Emirates Programme for Excellence in Government Services, plays a vital role in fostering collaboration across entities to meet this objective.

The award features seven categories highlighting efforts to reduce bureaucratic challenges. Categories include ‘Zero Bureaucracy Champions’ for measurable reductions in bureaucracy and ‘Social Impact’ for improving quality of life by alleviating administrative burdens. Other categories like ‘Economic Impact’ focus on removing obstacles that generate economic benefits.

The evaluation framework for the award is based on three criteria: impact, objectives, and enablers. Impact measures positive outcomes for individuals and organisations. Objectives assess alignment with ZGB Programme goals. Enablers evaluate operational efficiency and stakeholder engagement. The evaluation process consists of three stages: qualification at the category level, shortlisting at the federal level, and final selection of winners.

Major General Salem Ali Mubarak Al Shamsi from the Ministry of Interior attended the meeting alongside other senior officials. These included Major General Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mualla from Umm Al Qaiwain Police and Major General Mohammed Ahmed bin Ghanim Al Kaabi from Fujairah Police. Representatives from various federal and local government entities were also present.

Awards Encouraging Innovation

The award also recognises initiatives under categories like ‘Community Engagement’, which rewards efforts enhancing public trust. ‘Government Partnership’ celebrates successful public-private collaborations. Additionally, ‘Innovation in Eliminating Bureaucracy’ honours creativity in addressing unique cases while ‘Humanitarian Impact’ acknowledges empathy in advancing governance.

Bin Taliah highlighted that reducing redundant service delivery procedures aligns with UAE leadership’s vision. The ZGB Programme encourages cross-entity collaboration to achieve this goal effectively.

The meeting stressed that these awards align with UAE’s vision for progressive governance focused on people-centred approaches. By encouraging participation in such initiatives, officials aim to drive significant improvements in government operations across various sectors.

With inputs from WAM