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Mohammad goes online
Dubai's ruler has shown how he is reaching out and appealing to a wider and younger audience.
- By Francis Matthew, Editor at Large
- Published: 23:04 April 22, 2009
- Image Credit: Photo Illustration: Nino Jose Heredia/Gulf News
It is an event when the prime minister of a Gulf state takes the time to answer hundreds of questions from the press, as His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, did in extensive and detailed answers to questions sent in by the media. Of course he did not answer all the questions, but then which politician does? But he showed himself very willing to reply on all sorts of awkward issues.
For example, at the beginning of this year there were all sorts of rumours floating around the UAE that Shaikh Mohammad's health was very poor. He was asked about this, and was very direct in his reply, saying that he enjoyed good health, and added that he had taken part in four endurance races over the last few months, making the point that such demanding races are not something that anyone who is ill could do.
What was interesting was the underlying spirit of the event. Shaikh Mohammad clearly wanted to answer questions, and wanted to be in touch with people. He set up the e-session and he encouraged the questions to be sent in, and he answered them within a few days. This immediacy was new to the UAE and very refreshing. Obviously the answers needed to be worked on, but they did not take months and months to emerge.
Looking ahead, it will now be important that this single e-session is not a one-off event. The precedent has been established and it should become a regular event. In addition, other ministers could follow the example of the prime minister, and such transparency does not have to stop with ministers. Officials from many levels of government should be able to answer questions about their own areas of responsibility.
Shaikh Mohammad wants his message to get out to as wide an audience as possible, and he wants people to know what he and the government of the UAE are trying to do. His style of government is to mix the big-picture vision of making the UAE into one of the world's leading nations, with effective management techniques to make sure that the big ideas are implemented. This combination of ambitious aims and detailed management is at the heart of how Shaikh Mohammad sees the purpose and operation of government. In his book Ru'yati (My Vision) he describes how he sees government as being for the benefit of the people, and how it has to use the best management techniques to deliver what it has promised.
The new generation of twenty-something Emiratis are very used to living and working with the internet. They all have mobiles, and hand-held devices are wide-spread. This is why this week Shaikh Mohammad chose to take his questions and give his answers over the internet. It is the most effective way to address the people directly, and for his words to stay on the record: anyone can go back to the website and re-read them when they want to check something. The Gulf's first and leading 'E-shaikh' is well aware of the importance of living in the new world and he has made it very clear over the years that the UAE cannot afford to be left behind on this.
In the late-1990s Dubai went through the whole transformation to e-government at the insistence of Shaikh Mohammad, who as Crown Prince started to measure Dubai government departments by their efficiency and effectiveness in introducing web-based internal working, and their online interaction with the public. Although today this sounds normal and what anyone would expect, at the time it was unusual anywhere in the world, and very unusual in the UAE. Most government departments still insisted on working with hard-copy documents, often in triplicate, collecting smeared purple stamps as they progressed through the various stages of approval.
Looking ahead, most Emiratis are young and internet-aware. Anyone who wants to be in touch with them has to be good with the internet. Over 60 per cent of UAE nationals are under the age of 25, which is a substantial majority. A huge wave of young people are moving through the population, and will take an increasingly important place in society by virtue of their numbers and abilities.
It is expected that by 2020, almost 70 per cent of UAE nationals will be under the age of 35, and their social and communication assumptions will dominate the UAE. What Shaikh Mohammad did this week was to show he knows how to reach out to these people and explain to them where he thinks the UAE should go. He needs the next generation to share his vision, and to want to play their part.
Your comments
Its a great work. A ruler is replying to the queries and answering the questions. As mentioned in the article that it is an example of a true leader and other should follow the same. Everyone has many questions and to get the answers from a ruler directly is nothing but great.
Mehdi
Muscat,Oman
Posted: April 23, 2009, 13:07
This is really great!! And Something should be really done to increase the confidence of the people who are affected in some way or the other. Applauds to the His Highnes. Would like to really appreciate his concerns to spare his precious time to address the queries. Really Great!!!
Asharaf Kannanchath
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 23, 2009, 12:33
really it's very good thing
u can gave all answer by technology..
Hardik
Ahmedabad,India
Posted: April 23, 2009, 09:17
There are not much visionaries around us. Those who are, remain the sole source of comfort to the thousands, if not millions,in this turbulent world.
Shaji Mangalesan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 23, 2009, 08:21
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