President Sheikh Mohamed has directed the launch of a new community-powered branch of government tasked with empowering skilled Emiratis to help shape the UAE's future.
The Community-Managed Virtual Authority, announced to coincide with the conclusion of the UAE's Year of Community, is to be led by a director general, with team members drawn from the country's citizens.
The initiative will take a "non-traditional approach to government" and is in line with the President's broader vision to invest in the talent of citizens, state news agency Wam reported. It was not made clear when the authority's leadership would be appointed and when it will begin operations.
How will the initiative work?
Skilled members of the community will be given the opportunity to assume full responsibility for managing an authority. The director general and other representatives will be assigned periodically to lead and run the body for fixed terms.
Authority members will be appointed based on a set criteria of competence, expertise and an ability to contribute effectively to its objectives. The plan to appoint a new director general and team members from across the community on a rotating basis seeks to ensure a free flow of ideas and regular exchange of expertise.
The authority aims to attract a cross section of Emiratis, including specialists, academics, entrepreneurs, young people and retired citizens with significant experience. The move aims to use community diversity as a driving force for national development.
The core mandate of the authority is to design initiatives, programmes and practical solutions that are innovative and ready to be put into effect, Wam said. The authority will be closely aligned with national directives and strategies so its work is consistent with the broader priorities of the UAE.
The initiative "entrusts the community with full management of a public authority within a structured institutional framework", Wam said.
"The launch of the Community-Managed Virtual Authority represents a practical and enduring outcome to the Year of Community, embedding the spirit of its Hand in Hand theme in a tangible and enduring way," it added.
"It establishes a lasting institutional framework that sustains the momentum of the year, transforming time-bound initiatives into a durable, people-led model of shared responsibility and community-driven problem solving in service of the nation."
Community values
Sheikh Mohamed declared 2025 to be the Year of Community, in support of a national drive to promote unity and inclusion across society.
The UAE government adopts a central theme each year to help sharpen focus on topics and policies that are key to the country's progress. The Year of Zayed was celebrated in 2018 – to mark 100 years since the birth of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – while other themes have included the Year of Sustainability in 2023.
Sheikh Mohamed announced in December that 2026 would be the Year of the Family, which will serve to promote family values as a means to preserve the UAE's culture and identity.
