The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) is launching the fourth edition of the UAE Public Policy Forum (UAE PPF 2020) in partnership with Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI), set to be held on February 17-18, 2020, at the InterContinental Dubai – Festival City under the theme ‘Agile Government: Becoming Future-Proof’.

The announcement came during a press conference held today at MBRSG’s headquarters in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Sabaa Al-Marri, Executive President of MBRSG, Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Director-General for Strategy and Innovation at the Prime Minister’s Office – Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Professor Raed Awamleh Dean of MBRSG, and Professor Melodina Stephens, professor at MBRSG.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, the Forum brings government leaders and decision makers from federal and local government entities in the UAE together with prominent experts in government from around the world. This year’s forum will shed light on six key pillars: Agile Government & Skills for Success, Soft Power, Happiness and Wellbeing, Resilience, Future Foresight, and Adaptability to International Business environment.

The 2020 Forum welcomes heads of various federal and local government departments active in such sectors as strategy, innovation and human resources, finance, information and communications technology (ICT), client relations, law, healthcare, education, transportation, environment, and science and technology. Several international organisations, civil society associations, and other semi-governmental bodies are also taking part in the event.

The event is a highly regarded knowledge platform to exchange experiences and research among the participants; explore processes that ensure government agility; find solutions to adapt to rapid developments; and draft legislation to help ensure government flexibility and sustainability.

His Excellency Ali Bin Sebaa Al Marri said: “The region and the world are in the midst of tremendous economic, social, and environmental transformations – developments that call for new, innovative and agile approach to public policy and government administration to be able to adapt to the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and be prepared for the challenges of the future.”

“This year’s UAE Public Policy Forum represents an important step towards future-proofing governments and introducing innovative practices that guarantee the agility of government decisions and set a clear vision for the future,” H.E. added. “The event offers a platform for local and international policymakers, decision makers, and experts to exchange visions and ideas, and promote cooperation to address any obstacles to dynamic governments.”

“Achieving the UAE’s strategic goals calls for setting agile policies and adapting to regional and global developments,” Dr Al Marri explained. “Therefore, forming strategic international partnerships is no longer an option, but a necessity to tackle these developments. A primary objective of the Public Policy Forum is to explore and integrate perspectives, develop sound public policies, and support decision-making in the UAE and the region.”

Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Director-General for Strategy and Innovation at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office – Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, stressed that enhancing the efficiency of governments and moving forward to advanced stages of development requires keeping up with prominent trends that are transforming the future, in addition to developing tools that enable governments to be more agile and better prepared to embrace modern technology and innovation in their efforts to forecast future scenarios and find proactive solutions to future challenges. H.E. Al Hashimi highlighted the UAE’s successful experience in using flexible and unconventional work methods – such as government accelerators and the Ministry of Possibilities – to achieve tangible and innovative results.
“The UAE Government adopts innovation as its approach to develop government operations and prepare government entities for the future,” H.E. explained. “The Government embraces modern technologies and harnesses their potential to develop new tools and models for government that cater to the rapidly changing global trends, and contribute to finding quick and practical solutions to the challenges facing vital sectors.”
H.E. Al Hashimi went on to note that the UAE Public Policy Forum 2020, which is held during the UAE Innovation Month, presents an ideal platform for exchanging ideas and visions and formulating proactive solutions to future challenges. This, in turn, is in line with the objectives of the Month of Innovation initiative, which seeks to engage the community in shaping the future and preparing for the next 50 years, H.E. said, adding that the partnership between MBRSG and the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation has played an essential role in promoting cooperation to provide advanced ideas and innovations that contribute to shaping a better future.

The agenda for the fourth UAE Public Policy Forum includes panel discussions, impulse thought-provoking sessions, research and policy paper discussions and workshops exploring the concept of agile government and its implementation to deliver public value in both the national and international contexts.

Sessions at the Forum will also discuss a host of topics, including: designing success skills and agile governments; adaptability of the public sector; governance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; techniques for enhancing and managing the UAE’s media image; public -private partnerships and global citizenship goals; and policies aimed at ensuring happiness and wellbeing. Furthermore, the event explores lessons from less explored sectors, such as the role of advanced technologies and science which include space research; the role of governance in the face of constant experimentation needed for agility; the opportunities and challenges with future-looking legislation; and the need to be inclusive in policymaking and decision-making in the UAE.

Previous editions of the UAE Public Policy Forum welcomed more than 2000 visitors from around the world, exploring over 50 topics with 135 international speakers, and registering more than 16 million interactions on social media.