Three Emirati decision-makers shared the recipe of 'designing' governments that are forward-thinking, during a special presentation at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Ohood Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, said that countries need to start making a lasting impact for its citizens.
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology, and Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, shared examples of how UAE was leading the way.
From the space programme to climate-smart technology, the Emirates has a track record of design-thinking in its governance.
“Today, we have the opportunity to unleash the power of humanity like never before,” said Ms Al Roumi.
“This is where governments come in. We believe that the best way to be ready for the future is to imagine it, design it and execute it.
“We see this as a core role for our government, a future designer.
“Governments need to be forward looking, invent new operating models, leverage technology and work with multi stakeholders to create positive and lasting impact.
“They must become platforms for future design. More importantly, the governments need to change the focus from dealing with short term issues to inclusive, multi-generational well-being. This is the spirit of the UAE. We are a future nation by design.”
The UAE was formed only 51 years ago, but it has many achievements under its belt.
The Emirati passport is one of the most powerful in the world, with more than 180 visa-free destinations for citizens.
Its space programme is leading the way in the Middle East, with an Emirati astronaut sent to space, the Hope spacecraft that reached Mars and a mission to the asteroid belt that will be launched in 2028.
Ms Al Amiri said that the UAE was successful because it managed to create a “sense of urgency without a crisis being present”.
“How do you harness the sense of urgency without a crisis? That's the recipe of the Emirates,” she said.
“I’ll go to the space sector first. The UAE was the utiliser of space technologies and we moved towards having our ‘moon shot’ programme to Mars.
The people of the UAE choose an industry, and they go all in
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications
“That was an extremely risky undertaking, the team did not sleep well for over seven years.
“What drove us was a real sense of urgency, knowing that science and technology are fundamental parts of growth for the future of our economy and our industrial sectors.
“And we continue to invest in the space sector so that we can spring the development of a private space sector.”
Mr Al Olama said that the UAE cannot afford to think small and that “pessimism does not inspire or motivate people”.
He said the UAE has a long history of being resilient and adaptive, which has helped ensure the country thrives.
“For many years, we've always been a nation of resilient, adaptive and agile individuals that make up the psych of the UAE," he said.
“Around 4,000 years ago, our part of the world was a place on the map. We were not an underdeveloped village outpost, it was a thriving commerce hub, between the Western civilisation at the time of Egypt, and the eastern civilisation at the time of India.
“And the UAE was where trade used to happen. For millennia, for centuries, we see that there's always a constant need to adapt, to reinvent ourselves, and to face all challenges and opportunities equally.
“We also see that with every single era, the people of the UAE choose an industry, and they go all in it.”
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory Videographer: Jear Valasquez Fashion director: Sarah Maisey Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
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Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
