UAE And Philippines Collaborate To Build Smarter, Future-Ready Governments Through Experience Exchange

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines, warmly received a UAE government delegation in Manila. This visit marked the conclusion of the Government Experience Exchange Forum, a collaborative effort by both nations to foster partnerships and share innovative approaches to modernising governance. The President expressed gratitude for the UAE's ongoing support, particularly for Filipino workers, and highlighted the importance of shared experiences in driving meaningful change.

The UAE delegation was led by Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange. It included Mohamed Obaid Salem, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, and members from the Government Experience Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. The forum aimed to enhance cooperation through experience-sharing and innovative solutions.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, emphasised that sharing government knowledge is crucial for future readiness. He noted that international cooperation models focused on experience exchange are vital to the UAE's leadership vision. This approach not only strengthens international relations but also empowers societies to create a better future.

The First Lady of the Philippines, Louise Araneta Marcos, praised the productive collaboration between both governments across various fields. She acknowledged joint efforts in designing initiatives that empower leaders, youth, and women in the Philippines. Her meeting with the UAE delegation underscored their shared vision for human resource development.

The Government Experience Exchange Forum in Manila served as a strategic initiative to promote positive partnerships. It focused on developing innovative ideas to accelerate national priorities in the Philippines. The event embodied UAE leadership directives to enhance bilateral partnerships through expertise exchange and institutional excellence practices.

The forum featured presentations on accelerating national priorities implementation and showcased successful outcomes of strategic government partnerships. Discussions covered strategic pillars such as strategy and innovation, government performance, competitiveness, statistics, government services, artificial intelligence, and future foresight.

Exploring Innovative Solutions

Under Strategy and Innovation, discussions centred on enhancing integration for socio-economic development in the Philippines. Participants explored ways to address global shifts creatively while reinforcing government agility. In Government Performance and Excellence, emphasis was placed on promoting quality culture across institutions through best practices.

The Competitiveness and Statistics pillar highlighted developing national competitiveness systems and enhancing statistical capabilities. Accurate data supports decision-making and strengthens global competitiveness indices for the Philippines. Cooperation opportunities were explored under Government Services for designing innovative service delivery models.

Future-Ready Governance

The Artificial Intelligence and Future Foresight pillar discussed employing advanced technologies to accelerate development pathways. Equipping national talent with future-ready skills is essential for building a flexible government model adaptable to global changes.

Interactive dialogue sessions between UAE and Philippine officials showcased inspiring experiences in government modernisation. Presentations highlighted pioneering practices contributing to continuous improvement in governance performance.

The partnership under the Government Experience Exchange Programme began in February 2025. It focuses on modernising governance through performance enhancement and institutional innovation. Key areas include improving government activities, advancing governance practices, capacity-building, leadership development, budget management, knowledge management for services, and fostering innovation.

With inputs from WAM