GDRFA Dubai shares 55 best practices to advance excellence

Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai has concluded its year-long “Partners in Leadership 2.0” initiative after delivering significant institutional outcomes, including the exchange of 55 leading government practices, the completion of development plans across all participating entities, and a 97 per cent participant satisfaction rate.

The initiative, which ran from May 30, 2025, to June 11, 2026, was implemented under the supervision of the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP) and brought together five government entities in a collaborative effort to strengthen institutional leadership, knowledge sharing and government integration.

The programme generated extensive engagement, including 31 coordination meetings, 29 specialised workshops, and 17 institutional assessment sessions spanning more than 46 evaluation hours, benefiting 353 participants across the participating entities.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA- Dubai), said the value of the initiative lies not in the scale of its achievements alone, but in its ability to transform knowledge and collaboration into measurable institutional results.

“The journey of excellence is not temporary; it continues throughout the year,” Al Marri said, adding that the initiative reflects Dubai’s vision of building a government that grows through partnership, shared expertise and sustainable impact.

He noted that the programme demonstrates how knowledge can be translated into initiatives, successful practices into measurable outcomes, and collaboration into an institutional culture that enhances government competitiveness and future readiness.

Five entities collaborate

The initiative involved the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, the Community Development Authority, the Dubai Legal Affairs Department, the Dubai Sports Council, and the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation.

All participating entities achieved a 100 per cent completion rate for their institutional development plans, highlighting the programme’s effectiveness in advancing organisational performance and excellence.

A total of 55 leading institutional practices were exchanged among the entities, including:

• 19 practices from the Community Development Authority

• 12 from the Dubai Government Human Resources Department

• 10 from the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation

• 9 from the Dubai Sports Council

• 8 from the Dubai Legal Affairs Department

The practices covered strategic areas such as financial agility, governance, sustainability, supplier management, innovation, artificial intelligence and impact measurement.

According to GDRFA Dubai, the exchange of expertise helped strengthen the adoption of best practices across government entities and reinforced the organisation’s role as a strategic partner in enhancing government performance and promoting a culture of excellence.

Digital platform launched

The closing forum also witnessed the launch of the “Leadership Partners Portal,” an integrated digital platform designed to improve engagement with partners and streamline responses to their requirements.

The platform is expected to enhance coordination among government entities, accelerate response times, optimise resource utilisation and support the sustainability of innovation- and data-driven partnerships across Dubai Government.

Senior officials attend

The results of the initiative were announced during a ceremony attended by senior government officials, including Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority; Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department; Dr Louay Mohammed Belhoul, Director General of the Dubai Legal Affairs Department and Member of The Executive Council of Dubai; Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director General of GDRFA Dubai; Dr Mohammed Abdulwahab Al Ansari, Director of the Strategy Office at the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation; and Ahmed Abdulkarim Al Fahim, Director of the Strategy and Institutional Excellence Office and Chairman of the Excellence Committee at the Dubai Sports Council.

Members of Dubai Executive Council, assistant director-generals and senior leaders from participating entities also attended the event.

Building a future-ready government

Brigadier Abdulsamad Hussein Suleiman, Assistant Director General for the Pioneering and Future Sector at GDRFA Dubai, described the initiative as a practical model for collaborative development across government entities.

He said the programme moved beyond the exchange of institutional practices by establishing a framework that enables organisations to convert knowledge-sharing into sustainable development projects and strengthen their readiness for future challenges.

The results of “Partners in Leadership 2.0” underscore Dubai’s commitment to government excellence through collaboration, learning and innovation. GDRFA Dubai said the initiative reinforces its role in supporting a more integrated government ecosystem capable of delivering sustainable impact and advancing Dubai’s global leadership ambitions.