• Mohammad Al Gergawi: Sharing the UAE’s leading experience with the region and the world is a main pillar in the UAE’s government vision.
  • Masrour Barzani: We share with the UAE the determination and will to build a better future for our societies.

Dubai: The Governments of the United Arab Emirates and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq organized the Government Experience Exchange Forum, a joint initiative aimed at promoting bilateral cooperation in government work, fostering a positive partnership, and expanding fields of experience exchange. The forum served as a platform to develop innovative ideas and solutions that support the implementation of major transformational projects in key priority sectors across the Kurdistan Region. H.E. Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, met the UAE delegation to discuss prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation between the two governments.

The forum witnessed the launch of several major joint initiatives inspired by the UAE’s leading government experience in developing vital sectors across both government and society. The initiatives included the launch of the Government Performance Management System for the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Kurdistan Coders initiative, and the Areen Masrour Barzani Leadership Programme.

The organization of the forum reflects the directives of the UAE’s leadership to strengthen partnerships through experience exchange, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of government performance, and promote institutional excellence across both the public and private sectors, in pursuit of the shared aspirations of the two friendly nations towards achieving prosperity.

Mohammad Al Gergawi: Exchanging Experience to Accelerate Development

H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, stated that the bilateral partnership in government modernization between the governments of the United Arab Emirates and Kurdistan Region of Iraq reflects the UAE’s commitment to sharing its leading government experience with regional and global partners. H.E. noted that this goes in line with the directives of the UAE’s leadership and represents a consistent approach centered on collaboration and experience exchange to accelerate development and promote government readiness and agility.

“Effective partnerships, which led to the launch of new initiatives in coding, leadership development, and performance management, reflect the deep relations and shared vision between the two governments, as well as their mutual commitment to exchanging experiences that enhances government modernization, build future-ready government models, anticipates changes, and improves governance and wellbeing,” H.E. added.

Masrour Barzani: Launching Strategic Projects to Enhance Government Performance

H.E. Masrour Barzani hailed the constructive partnership with the UAE in the field of government modernization, describing it as a role model of institutional cooperation and capacity-building. He noted that this partnership has resulted in the launch of strategic projects designed to enhance government performance and deliver world-class services to citizens.

“We share a common vision with the UAE to enhance cooperation in government administration and extend it to broader future horizons,” H.E. stressed. “We are united by shared values and a belief in the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, and we share the same determination to build a better future for our societies,” H.E. added.

Participating Delegations

The UAE delegation included H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange; H.E. Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment (MOCCAE); H.E. Eng. Majed Al Mesmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA); H.E. Eng. Mohamed bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government; and H.E. Sheikha Bashir Farhan, Acting Consul General of the UAE in Erbil, along with a number of senior officials and government leaders.

From the Kurdistan Regional Government, participants included H.E. Dr Umed Sabah, President of the Diwan of the Council of Ministers; H.E. Saman Barzanji, Minister of Health; H.E. Ano Jawhar, Minister of Transport and Communications; H.E. Dr Abdul Hakim Khasro, Head of the Department  of Coordination and Follow-Up; H.E. Areen Barzani, Head of the GCC Unit; H.E. Dr Mohammad Shukri, Chairman of the Board of the Investment; H.E. Hiwa Afandi, Head of the Department of Information Technology; and H.E. Sirwan Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Planning and Head of the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office.

Abdulla Lootah: The Forum is a Key Platform for Enhancing Government Experience

In his keynote speech at the forum, H.E. Abdulla Lootah stated that the event represents an important platform for promoting the exchange of government experiences and advancing the strategic partnership between the two friendly governments. He emphasized that it serves as an opportunity to review past achievements, explore future prospects, and identify new areas of collaboration to promote the partnership’s positive impact on society.

Government Performance Management System

H.E. Masrour Barzani witnessed the launch of the Government Performance Management System for the Kurdistan Regional Government. This centralized system, inspired by the performance management framework of the UAE Government, is managed through a unified digital dashboard that displays and monitors key performance indicators. The system aims to support decision-making processes, enhance oversight, improve resource allocation efficiency, provide predictive insights, and increase transparency in government performance.

Kurdistan Coders Initiative

As part of the forum activities, and in the presence of H.E. Aren Barzani, the governments of the UAE and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq launched the “Kurdistan Coders” Initiative, which represents a pioneering national program aimed at developing coding and digital skills among the youth in the region, preparing a new generation capable of keeping pace with global technological transformations, bridging the digital skills gap, and connecting young people with opportunities in the digital economy. The initiative contributes to building an advanced and innovative knowledge-based society. The program offers comprehensive training courses covering areas such as coding, artificial intelligence, data analysis, application development, and machine learning. It aims to enhance the capabilities of young people and equip them with coding skills and digital knowledge aligned with the requirements of the future job market.

Leadership Program

During the forum, the Areen Masrour Barzani Leadership Program was also announced. This pioneering national initiative aims to empower a new generation of visionary leaders capable of shaping the future of their governments and driving positive change within institutions. The program represents a new initiative within the efforts to develop government work system and is inspired by the UAE Government’s experience in preparing leaders and nurturing talents capable of leading transformation and making meaningful impact.

Government Modernization

The forum’s discussions covered nine main pillars, including climate change, performance and strategy, future foresight, government services, healthcare, economy and investment, capacity building, logistics, and the aviation sector. The forum explored ways to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise in the fields of government modernization and sustainable development, through sessions that addressed the redesign of government services, digital transformation, and innovation, alongside building an agile and sustainable future through climate policies and environmental development.

Government Service Design

The first session, titled “Reimagining Government Services: Digitalization, Innovation, and Citizen-Centric Models,” featured participation from the UAE, represented by H.E. Eng. Majed Al Mesmar and H.E. Eng. Mohamed bin Taliah. During the session, speakers discussed the rapidly evolving global government efforts to redesign and enhance public services in the age of technology and data.

They further discussed the evolving role of governments as enablers of experience-based services and explored ways to leverage technology and artificial intelligence to transform the customer journey. They addressed solutions for redesigning service channels to ensure inclusivity, efficiency, and accessibility, as well as mechanisms for developing government excellence models focused on user experience. The discussion highlighted the UAE’s Government experience in developing digital government, service models excellence, and integrating artificial intelligence in government services.

Agile and Sustainable Future

The second session, titled “From Climate Policies to Implementation: Building an Agile and Sustainable Future,” featured the participation of H.E. Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, and Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Climate Change at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region. Speakers discussed the growing importance of climate change as a comprehensive government priority that impacts national agility, economic planning, and wellbeing. The session also explored how public private partnerships can help design resilient ecosystems capable of withstanding future climate shocks.

Participants highlighted the UAE’s pioneering experience in drafting climate policies, including the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, the UAE's Green Agenda. They also discussed the challenges faced by the Kurdistan Region in adapting to the impacts of climate change and the ongoing efforts to align policies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strategic Partnership

During the World Governments Summit 2022, the UAE Government announced a strategic partnership in government modernization with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. The partnership aimed to exchange knowledge, expertise, and successful experiences in the field of government modernization, under an agreement signed by H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and H.E. Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Fields of collaboration within the bilateral partnership include government services and digital transformation, agricultural sector reforms, government performance development, and the modernization of policies and strategies related to taxation to support economic sustainability. The partnership also covered banking digitization, as well as key areas such as security, media, and investment.