Abdulla Lootah: ‘The UAE has established a pioneering model for development under the directives of its leadership’
A high-level delegation from the Government Experience Exchange Office, during a series of meetings in Washington, US, showcased the UAE’s model for global capacity-building as well as foreseeing and shaping the future.
The Government Experience Exchange Programme is a knowledge-sharing platform aiming to transfer the United Arab Emirate’s experience and best practices in the field of government development and modernization to other countries.
Since its launch, the UAE government has signed agreements with participating countries to build institutional capacities for government development.
The meetings in the US capital were led by His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange. There, delegates discussed cooperation and partnerships in experience exchanges, capability building, sharing successful models, promoting scientific research and supporting development.
Meetings were held with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the ESRI Research and Development Center, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Open Data Watch. The delegation also visited the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Innovation in Pediatric Surgery in Washington and Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The UAE delegation met high-ranking officials, including Dr. Nadir Abdellatif Mohammed, Regional Director, Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions, MENA at the World Bank; Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Ms. Pat Cummens, Director, Government Policy & Strategy, Climate Office of the ESRI Arlington R&D Center; Ambassador Samantha Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Mr. Jamison Henninger, Open Data Manager; DeAnn Marshall, MHA, President, Children’s National Hospital; and Kimberly Bassett, Secretary of State for the District of Columbia.
UAE showcases leading development model
The UAE delegation in Washington discussed enhancing competitiveness in various fields, including those that support sustainable development, such as research and development, innovation, experience exchange and expertise. They also covered adopting best practices and utilizing open data to develop work processes and governance. This was in addition to discussing strategic development plans and designing and building smart, sustainable communities.
HE Lootah said: “We presented to international institutions the best practices established by the UAE in the field of designing the future, enhancing competitiveness, promoting sustainability, developing legislation and systems, and implementing transformational projects that made the UAE a leading global model for development.
“The UAE’s pioneering model is accessible to everyone through knowledge exchange partnerships, capacity development, and government work development, and through its integrated programs. These programs include the Government Experience Exchange Programme, which in just a few years has included more than 30 countries and more than 5 international institutions that are now implementing Emirati programs and initiatives, such as government accelerators, gender balance performance monitoring systems, and other indices that aim to enhance performance.”
Commitment to sustainable development
HE Lootah highlighted the UAE’s commitment to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the goals of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic Initiative, the first of its kind in the region, in addition to shedding light on the country’s plan for the next 50 years, the UAE Centennial 2071.
The UAE delegation also highlighted the best practices that helped the UAE rank among the top 12 countries in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook. The delegation also invited senior officials from other governments to attend the World Government Summit 2024, running from 12 to 14 February 2024 in Dubai, UAE.