Four UAE ministers handed roles in new Ministry of Possibilities

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has appointed four members of the UAE Cabinet to drive forward the newly-established ministry

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has tasked  four members of the UAE cabinet with leading the Ministry of the Possibilities, including Sheikh Saif bin Zayed. 

Four UAE ministers have been appointed to help shape the future of the newly-launched Ministry of Possibilities.

Heralded as the country's virtual ministry - it has no designated minister and will be led by a committee of existing ministries - the branch of government is being set up to tackle issues of national importance.

The Ministry of Possibilities, which translates from Arabic as the ministry of nothing impossible, was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohammed said he had launched the ministry to help the country overhaul its practices to meet heady ambitions to become one of the world's leading superpowers in a matter of years.

"The future brings challenges that require constant government restructuring," said Sheikh Mohammed.

"The word impossible does not exist in our dictionary. It is not part of our vision and will never be part of our future.”

Sheikh Mohammed set up four departments of the ministry to work on a number of national programmes, the Department of Anticipatory Services, the Department of Behavioral Rewards, Department of UAE Talent and Department of Government Procurement.

Now he has named four ministers to oversee those departments.

Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior has been tasked with leading the Ministry's Department of Behavioral Awards, while Obaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, will take on the Department of Government Procurement.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, has been assigned the Department of UAE Talent and Ohoud Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, will be at the helm of the  Department of Anticipatory Services.

The ministry will work to build new government systems for the future.

Among its first responsibilities, the ministry will build an e-platform to facilitate government purchases, shortening the process from 60 days to 6 minutes and discover talents in UAE children.

The Ministry of Possibilities will help redefine the concept of government by creating a platform for addressing radical changes in government systems, a statement on Sheikh Mohammed’s official website said.

The ministry will also ‘showcase a new model for next generation government operations to the world’ according to the statement.

What will each department of the ministry do?

The Department of Behavioural Rewards will develop a strategy to reward positive behaviour, using a point-based system. People will have the opportunity to collect points that can be used as payment for government services.

The Department of UAE Talent will create an environment to allow Emiratis to unlock their potential and play a leading role in the future of the country.

The department will identify talent of all ages and from all sections of society.

The Department of Government Procurement has been given a mission statement to make government services faster and more efficient, especially for businesses.

The Department of Anticipatory Services aims to address problems for customers before they even happen.

A team drawn from a variety of government bodies and experts in data analysis and data privacy will be tasked with anticipating the needs of the public and providing services before they are even requested.

The department will conduct research to assess the current state of government service delivery and identify areas of improvement.