The UAE launches the 2026 evaluation cycle for the Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Distinguished Government Performance

The Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Program announced the launch of the new evaluation cycle for the Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Excellence in Government Performance, in its eighth session, which adopts the government integration approach to achieve global leadership, focuses on future readiness, and is based on a comprehensive Emirati model of government administration, based on the results of an evaluation from a comprehensive and integrated perspective.

The new cycle adopts a comprehensive evaluation model based on the “Proactive Performance System” launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him,” last year, and takes into account integration between government agencies’ systems, the transition from the concept of individual institutional performance to integrated government performance, uses of artificial intelligence, innovation and institutional readiness for the future, and the ability for smart transformation.

The award, in its current session, witnesses the honoring of new institutional categories for the best entity in artificial intelligence applications, and the best entity in proactiveness and readiness for the future.

Among the Prime Minister’s medals, two new categories were added: the best CEO for artificial intelligence, and the best employee in the field of future readiness.

Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi stressed that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him,” transformed excellence into an identity and a solid approach to government work in the UAE, and it became a model of leadership that inspired many governments around the world and a global model to be emulated in government development and innovation.

Al Gergawi said that the Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Government Performance, since its launch in 2009, has adopted excellence in service to humanity and society as the basis for government work, indicating that the journey of excellence in the next stage requires strengthening government efforts and integration, to develop ideas and innovations that create a positive impact on society, and achieve global leadership in all areas of government work.

He added that the new government directions focus on enhancing future readiness, intensifying the processes of employing artificial intelligence in government work, and moving from evaluating entities to evaluating impact, and from individual performance to integrated sectoral performance, consistent with national policies and strategies, stressing that the primary goal is to raise the level of performance and enhance the idea of ​​institutional excellence in government work.

The new evaluation approach is based on the proactive performance system as a major input in feeding the government excellence system based on results and impact, and adopting a comprehensive and continuous “360 degree” evaluation from the perspective of the government, society, customers, and employees.

The evaluation methodology also focuses on enhancing integration between government agencies’ systems in a way that supports achieving the We Are the Emirates 2031 vision, achieving a complete transition from institutional performance to integrated sectoral performance compatible with institutional systems, and linking the evaluation results to the central enabling systems in the federal government, with 80% of the evaluation weight allocated to measuring the actual results and impact.

Artificial intelligence, innovation, and institutional readiness for the future are essential components in evaluating the performance of government agencies and their ability to develop, make smart transformation, and anticipate future challenges, in addition to periodic monitoring of the government agencies’ journey through the levels of maturity of excellence.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Distinguished Government Performance in its session this year includes 29 awards distributed over a number of main categories, including the main institutional awards, which are: the leading federal entity, the leading federal entity in sustaining excellence, and the best entity improving in performance.

The sub-institutional awards include seven categories: the best entity that contributed to achieving the country’s leadership and competitiveness, the best entity in adopting innovative solutions, the best entity in distinctive value, the best entity in developing legislation and laws, the best entity in partnership and integration, the best entity in artificial intelligence applications, and the best entity in proactiveness and readiness for the future.

The award also includes the Prime Minister’s medals, which include 16 categories: Distinguished Ambassador/Distinguished Ambassador, Best Undersecretary/General Director, Best Assistant Undersecretary/Executive Director, Best Administration Director, Best School Principal, Best Teacher, Best Specialist, in the field of government communication, in the field of youth, best doctor, and in the field of customer happiness. Best CEO for Artificial Intelligence, and Best Employee in Future Readiness. The award includes special honor categories: the Mohammed bin Rashid scarf, UAE Pride medals, and special honors.

The modernization focuses on enhancing integration to achieve global leadership for the UAE government, through evaluating and developing vital sectors, and motivating government agencies to work together transparently within an integrated system that aims to achieve prosperity and quality of life, through the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and the application of innovative systems, beyond the scope of a single federal entity, and ensuring the maximum benefit from government resources, in addition to encouraging the business sector and society to actively participate in government work.

The new evaluation approach enhances the benefit of the approved central systems, in light of the high maturity that the UAE government enjoys in all areas of government work, through integrated systems for monitoring, evaluation and guidance characterized by objectivity, credibility and transparency, which supports the ability to evaluate the performance of government agencies efficiently.

The updated evaluation approach adopts the application of a continuous “360-degree” evaluation, based on results from the perspective of the government, society, customers, and employees, achieving 100% compatibility with the outputs of centrally enabled systems, and allocating 80% of the weight of the excellence evaluation to measure results and actual impact, in addition to moving from the concept of individual institutional performance to integrated government performance.