GDRFA Dubai wins gold for innovative workforce intelligence system
It is the first Dubai government entity to win gold in the category.
Dubai: GDRFA Dubai has become the first government entity in the emirate to win Gold in the Excellence in HR Data Analytics category at The Economic Times Human Capital Awards MENA 2026.
The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai received the award for its Government Workforce Intelligence Ecosystem, which uses data analytics to link workforce planning, organisational structures and human resources management with strategic priorities.
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According to the awards’ published winners’ records, GDRFA Dubai is the first Dubai government entity to achieve Gold in this category.
The ecosystem builds on the GDRFA Dubai Guide to Organisational Structure Management – Principles, Guiding Controls and Recommended Practices 2024. It has evolved into an integrated framework combining organisational structures, workforce planning, data analytics, performance indicators and institutional foresight.
The system turns organisational data into actionable insights, helping decision-makers assess staffing requirements, anticipate future needs and align talent with strategic objectives.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai, said investing in people and aligning talent with strategic priorities were essential to building government institutions ready for the future.
He said the directorate was strengthening data-driven planning and integrating organisational structure development with workforce management to improve decision-making, operational efficiency and institutional performance.
The international recognition also reflects the ability of Emirati talent to develop innovative government practices that gain recognition beyond the UAE, he added.
Major General Awad Mohammed Al Owaim, Assistant Director General for Human Resources and Finance, said the ecosystem provided a clearer understanding of current and future workforce requirements by integrating organisational structures, workforce planning and data analytics.
This enables GDRFA Dubai to align its resources and talent with strategic priorities while improving operational efficiency, he said.
Maryam Mohammed Al Badwawi, Head of the Organisational Structures Branch and author of the 2024 organisational structure management guide, said the award marked the culmination of a development journey that began with establishing an integrated methodology for managing organisational structures.
The framework has since expanded to incorporate workforce planning, data analytics and institutional foresight, turning organisational knowledge into practical tools for decision-making and future readiness.
GDRFA Dubai said the achievement reinforces its commitment to using data analytics in institutional management, strengthening workforce planning and developing government capabilities that can anticipate change and sustain performance.
