The UAE's Ministry of Possibilities holds first meeting

The virtual ministry was set up in April by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development. Chris Whiteoak / The National    

The UAE's newest ministry has held its first meeting, with efforts to champion the next generation of Emirati talent put top of the agenda.

The Ministry of Possibilities – heralded as the country's virtual ministry as it has no designated minister and is led by a committee of existing government authorities – was set up in April to take a new approach to tackling issues of national importance.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said he had launched the new branch of government to shake up current practices and help the country become a global power.

The ministry is made up of four bodies: the Department of Behavioural Rewards, the Department of Government Procurement, the Department of Anticipatory Services and the Department of UAE Talent, each headed by a current government minister.

The department of UAE talent, which aims to nurture the country's human capital, adopted its executive plan at its first meeting, chaired by Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

“Young talents are the next generation of pioneers and our real assets as we embark on the journey to shape the future and build a society rich in Emirati talent across all sectors,” said Ms Al Kaabi.

“The UAE talent department is critical to fulfilling the government’s aspirations to position the UAE as a land for talent, which inspires youth, and supports their emergence into successful leaders and pioneers."

Ms Al Kaabi said that while the country is rich in talent, the department will focus on creating a comprehensive system to identify those people and help develop their skills.

The department will introduce platform to link talented individuals with institutions, ministries, schools and universities across various industries.

The four departments of the Ministry of Possibilities

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 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.