Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minster of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that excellence of government services delivery is integral to the UAE's prominence in all spheres.
In a speech that got the second edition of the Emirates Government Service Excellence Award at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi under way on Thursday, Shaikh Mohammad said each and every member of various government entities chosen for the awards had contributed to the country's success.
"All those attending this event, from different government departments and institutions, have contributed to the success of Dubai by being pioneers of excellence in their fields," Shaikh Mohammad said.
He called upon all federal government employees to adopt a culture of excellence based on determination and hard work to strengthen the position of the UAE as one of the most successful countries in the world.
Call for awareness
Shaikh Mohammad said: "The best way to ensure sustained performance excellence is by enhancing awareness about excellence in government, encouraging continuous learning, improving government services, and transferring and exchanging knowledge between government organisations and other entities abroad."
Shaikh Mohammad said: "There is no limit for ambitions and aspirations."
The Emirates Excellence Award is part of the Shaikh Khalifa Government Excellence Programme (SKGEP) which was approved last year by Shaikh Mohammad with the aim of making the UAE government one of the world's best. The Dubai Government Excellence Programme (DGEP) Awards are part of the national programme.
The programme aims to provide federal public institutions with a road map to help upgrade and improve performance to promote better economic and management practices.
Shaikh Mohammad credited the UAE's founding fathers for ushering in growth and making the country one of the leading business destinations of the world by rolling out prestigious projects.
Shaikh Mohammad said that the excellence awards had inspired federal government staff to assume greater responsibility and drive a culture of excellence and competitiveness thus serving the country better and fulfilling the aspirations of citizens.
Shaikh Mohammad stressed the importance of the award in achieving excellence in meeting performance goals of the government sector and optimising its human resources through a culture of innovation and loyalty. By developing distinctive practices and successful national models, the awards had not only made for more efficient government services but also made various departments role models.
Selection process
All award winners were selected through a transparent and comprehensive screening process after 423 nominations were received from 41 federal entities, including 16 ministries and 25 government authorities.
Also, 215 applicants competed for the Prime Minister's medals, which are granted to distinguished employees in six categories.
The main awards signify the highest corporate excellence decoration and cover five categories. The main category includes awards for entities, zones and departments based on the total number of excellence points. Award sub-categories recognise entities, zones or departments based on results achieved according to each excellence criterion. The Best Practice category honours exceptional creativity, performance management, information management, electronic excellence and governance.
The event was attended by shaikhs, ministers, dignitaries and more than 1,500 officials representing various federal government entities.
