Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on Tuesday stressed that excellence "is a way of life in the UAE" after honouring the nation's top achievers across all sections of government. Sheikh Mohammed, also Vice President, set out the UAE's lofty ambitions for the future at the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award 2024.
The Dubai Ruler said the annual event recognised those who turned "challenges into opportunities" and said the country's future progress would be powered by creativity. “Excellence is not just a goal; it is a way of life in the UAE. It reflects the vision of the UAE President, to establish a government that not only meets ambitions but anticipates the future," Sheikh Mohammed said.
"Today, we celebrate achievements, but more importantly, we reaffirm that our journey of excellence knows no bounds. Innovation in government is no longer a luxury; it is an imperative. Today, we honour those who have turned challenges into opportunities, crafting transformative solutions that set new benchmarks for government services. Our nation deserves the very best, and our people deserve nothing less than exceptionalism in all that we do.”
Champions of progress
The Vice President presented the Mohammed bin Rashid Sash to people who had made significant contributions to excellence and the advancement of the Emirates. Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and chairman of the Executive Council, received the prestigious accolade for his efforts to drive the development of Ajman's government.
He led initiatives such as Ajman Vision 2021 and Ajman Vision 2030, both of which were closely aligned with the goals of the country. He established the Ajman Excellence Programme to foster a culture of innovation within the emirate's government institutions, adopted a global star rating system to help raise standards in government service centres and launched the Mystery Shopper scheme to boost public confidence and provide greater transparency over the work of federal departments.
Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, chairman of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development and chairman of Etihad Rail, also received the sash from Sheikh Mohammed. He was hailed for being at the forefront of key national initiatives, including the flagship Etihad Rail project which will to connect the Emirates by train while cutting commuting times, easing congestion and boosting tourism and trade.
As chairman of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development, Sheikh Theyab launched the Emirates Villages project, through which Dh1 billion has been committed to develop 10 villages to bolster tourism and quality of life.
Sheikh Mohammed also recognised the successes of federal institutes at the ceremony. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the Leading Federal Entity Award for ministries with over 500 employees, while the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance were awarded the Leading Federal Entity Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
Outstanding contributions
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, presented the Pride of the Emirates award to Emirati citizens who have made exceptional contributions to UAE society through a variety of endeavours.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, bestowed the Prime Minister’s Medal on a number of winners. These included Salama Khalfan Obaid Al Mazrouei, named Best School Principal, and Abdul Latif Abdullah Al Siyabi, also from the Ministry of Education, who earned the Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Teacher. Dr Saqr Abdullah Al Mualla, of the Emirates Health Services, was honoured with the Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Doctor.
The gathering was also attended by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance and Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Interior.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award is the UAE’s highest government accolade. Launched as part of the Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Programme, it is intended to encourage government departments to innovate and raise ambitions and efficiency to ensure they serve the needs of the country and its people.
Company%20profile
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Company%20Profile
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